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

Chapter 23

"Phew. As expected, eight-against-one really is impossible."

Sheena-san rises from the capsule bed. There's so much composure on her face that you'd never think she just lost.

"C-rank really isn't easy, after all. Not just movement—everyone's tactics are solid."

"Yeah, we can't win with solo skills anymore. Let's drill our tactics properly."

"Right. Let's do that."

Everyone is looking forward. But I—

"Hic."

I—started crying.

"Shiki-san?"

"Wh-why are you crying!?"

"O-oyoyo!? What's wrong? Chacha-san, should I sing something?"

It hurts...it hurts...!

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so pathetic...!"

I'm so embarrassed I want to die. A newcomer who loses and then cries—who do I think I am?

(I'm the worst. I tried to die first just because it was a bother... Everyone was giving it their all, but I tried to lose for my own convenience...! Because of that, both Niko-san and Sheena-san...! If I hadn't been here—if they hadn't tried to link up with me—those two would have definitely met up and the result would have been different...!)

I hide my face with my arms. It's weird for a robot model to be shedding tears. Don't give me extra functions like this...!

"S-sorry! We forced you to join us! We were kinda, y'know, desperate because we couldn't find a third member! So, um, yeah! I'll buy you any weapon you want as an apology!"

"This loss was totally expected! Chacha-san and the others were treating it like practice anyway!"

"...It wasn't... expected!"

"—!!"

Even someone like me gets comforted. That kindness hurts instead.

(Being alone is easy. When I'm alone I can take a loss. I can endure the pain of defeat. But...! In a team fight like this, when we lose all this guilt and helplessness piles on...!! I want to shoot down the old me who tried to self-destruct so quickly. I'd forgotten... I hate this feeling. If I lose alone I only feel one person's worth of regret. But if four of us lose, four people's regret piles on.)

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts...!

(I want a do-over. I want to win. All I have is this gun. If I can't prove my existence with this, then I can't do anything!!)

What should I do? Maybe I should just log out...

"Fufu."

A smile spills from Sheena-san's lips.

"Wh-what the heck...! Read the room!"

"Sorry. That was a self-deprecating laugh. We should learn from Shiki-san."

"Eh?"

"We lost. Yet we were already brushing off the pain of defeat, talking about improvements and moving on. That's no good. If we lose, we should properly regret it. Shiki-san conveyed that to us by crying. Thank you for your tears, Shiki-san—you made us realize our mistake."

Huh? They're interpreting it in a weirdly positive way.

"Well, that's true, but..."

"'It's only a hastily formed team so it can't be helped'? That's just an excuse."

"Ugh."

"Nnya, Sheena-cchi could be right. Even I was like 'eh, whatever' about it."

"Yes. Me too. Shiki-san took the regret we were trying to push aside. Thank you. Thanks to your tears we realized our mistake."

"Um...?"

I've somehow been strangely praised!?

Sheena-san's gaze toward me is brimming with trust. Could she be the naturally air-headed type...?

"So, what will you do now, Shiki-san?"

"Uh, um..."

"Our contract was only for this Rank Match. The Rank Match is over, so you're free. From now on you're under no obligation to stay with us."

That's... true.

I could say goodbye here and go back to quietly progressing solo. That would definitely be the easiest and most comfortable.

But... that choice would also be the most frustrating.

(I'm a loner, bad at communication, I hate team battles... But even more than that—)

I clench my fist and raise my face.

(Even more than that, I'm a sore loser!)

It's scary, but I can't stand ending on a loss.

Because I'm a sore loser, I tried to self-destruct before anyone could beat me. I tried to run from defeat. But now that I've already lost, I can't run anymore. I won't be satisfied until I've paid them back!!

"Just once more—please fight with me one more time!?"

Sheena-san smiled, Niko-san laughed in exasperation, and Chacha-san grinned.

"Yes. We were going to ask you too."

"Then we'd better reserve our next tournament, huh. Any requests?"

"Uh, um... I'd like to enter a tournament where the team we fought will be competing."

"You mean Crimson Wings? Haha, so that's revenge, huh."

"It's not exactly that..."

Though it kind of is...

"Sounds great! I love that kinda thing! I'm in, Shiki. I got taken out by their sniper too."

"Then—"

Chacha-san fiddled with the wristwatch-type terminal...

"One week from now! There's a C-rank tournament. Crimson Wings will probably rank up after this one, so if we don't fight them here the next chance will be way later."

One week. Plenty of time.

"Then we'll need to raise Shiki-san's level to 30 before then."

"Well, if we take you to a high-difficulty planet you'll catch up in no time."

"About that... I'd like to level up on my own... And I'd like to return the weapons I borrowed..."

"Eh? You don't really have to return them."

"Yeah yeah, I get it, Shiki-cchi. I hate princess carries too."

Chacha-san nods repeatedly. She understands...

"I see. You want to push yourself without any help and strengthen your solo skills even further. That's admirable."

Sheena-san is spontaneously giving me the cool interpretation again.

"That's fine. But I'll give you some homework."

"Homework...?"

"The minimum stats I'd like, and a few weapon specs I want for our team tactics. Don't worry—none of them are anything big."

"Th-then, please take care of me..."

"Of course. We're always ready to help, so if you get stuck please rely on us."

"R-right... understood..."

Let's end today's Infinite Space here.

In the end I'm glad I could take part in the Rank Match. I learned so many techniques, tactics, and weapons. The game is deeper than I thought... rewarding.

I won't forget this humiliation.

Next time I'll fight full throttle from the start.

I'll shoot down every last member of Crimson Wings.

――――――Afterword――――――

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