BSO Chapter 170

[The Shocking Truth]

–Around the time Yuri and the others wrapped up their battle, Yario and Crutteruo also managed to finish theirs.

“Phew~, we did it…!”

“That was tough…! How come you’re so powerful when you’re the boss of an information guild?”

Both of them were panting heavily, their eyes fixated on the mortally wounded Merlin.

Drawing on their willpower as top players, they had successfully defeated one of Goddess’ Side’s strongest players.

“Haa, I lost completely… I never knew how frustrating it could be to give your all and still lose.”

Merlin was dissipating into particles of light. “I suppose I should take training more seriously next time,” he muttered.

Approaching him, Crutteruo spoke with a proud tone, “Fufun, we’re going to win the war too! After all, we’ve overcome your despicable tactics~!”

“Despicable tactics… Oh, you mean the ‘infiltration tactics’?”

The infiltration tactics were some of the offensive strategies developed during World War I.

They involved sending infantry forces to the enemy base from multiple directions while providing cover fire with special weapons. These tactics earned their name due to the way infantry forces exploited the enemy’s vulnerabilities, infiltrating the base like rainwater seeping through cracks.

These were exactly what the Goddess’ Side utilized this time.

Instead of special weapons, they had used the Fake Yuri Corps’ Genocide Birds to recreate the same tactics in the game world.

“After I was defeated by Kirika and sent to the losers’ area, I checked the bulletin board. Your allies posted something interesting: ‘By putting the Goddess’ Side in a situation where they have their backs against the approaching damage area, Pendragon forced her allies to march toward the Beginning Town’. By doing so, she stripped away the overconfidence and complacency that they had fostered from your overwhelmingly superior numbers of forces.”

Crutteruo was appalled at the audacity of her tactics.

“However, thanks to Yuri, the bombing of the Genocide Birds resulted in no casualties. We were able to engage your forces without any reduction in our numbers. We basically have won half of the war!”

Crutteruo puffed out her modest chest proudly, brimming with happiness at having defeated an enemy higher-up. Yario shared her sentiment, snorting with pride, “We made a great contribution!”

In response, Merlin said as his body dissipated, “Our despicableplans aren’t over yet, though.”

““Eh?”” Crutteruo and Yario stiffened, their thoughts blanked out for a few seconds.

“H-huh…?” “What do you mean they’re not over yet…?” They asked, confused. But Merlin would completely disappear in mere moments. He had no reason to answer them.

However…

“Well, you’re too late to change anything at this point. As a reward for defeating me, I’ll give you a hint.”

The particles of light from Merlin’s body floated into the sky. Just as his lips were about to dissipate, he left an ominous clue.

“This world extends into outer space, you know?”

◆◆◇◆

“—Haaaaa, I got too caught up in my fight with Baldhead-kun, and it cost me dearly. Back in the day, I could easily avoid that kind of surprise attack.”

“Oh, wanna brag about your ‘back in the day’ stuff now, old man?”

“Shut up, you brat. I’ve simply lost some of my touch. Next time, I’ll challenge you to a one-on-one duel.”

Arata glared at me in frustration, and I replied, “I’ll take you on anytime.”

The battle had come to an end. Although we had exploited the special rules, we had successfully defeated the veterans of VR games.

At the moment, both Arata and Ange were just waiting for their deaths. When I glanced at Ange, Zansword suddenly remarked, “You were strong. And I could feel how soft your body is when I hugged you as well.”

“Eek!”

He really needed to be reported.

…Well, the baldhead instantly kicked him into the air as immediate punishment.

Seeing my friends’ antics, a smile unexpectedly spread across Arata’s face.

“Heh… You’ve got some interesting friends, Yuri. Wish my brother could have friends like them too.”

“You have a brother?”

“Yeah. He’s a bit of a pessimistic guy. I know. Next time I see him, I’ll recommend BSO to him. Introducing him to someone who can persevere through any hardship like you might inspire him to see the world in a brighter light.”

Hee~ fine by me. I’d train him without holding back.

As we chatted, Arata finally began to dissolve into particles of light.

“Oh, by the way, Yuri. Pendragon genuinely loves you.”

“Hee~… wait, what?!”

The utterly ridiculous thing Arata had casually mentioned left me stunned.

Eh, she loved me?! L-like in love with me?!

“She and I go way back, but I ended up choosing Alice in the end. And lately, I’ve been busy working to save up money for our marriage, so I haven’t had time to keep her company. She must have been feeling lonely, hmm…”

“Don’t you ‘Hmm’ me! What did you mean she loves me?! Do you mean love as in romantic affection?!”

No, no-no-no-no-no-no-no, there was no way… or so I’d like to say, but hmm… now that I looked back, the last time we met at the café, she had left with a sense of euphoria after hearing my words.

She had confessed that she was a helpless woman, one who placed impossibly high expectations on people and pushed them to the brink, destroying them. I had taken her hand and said something along the lines of “Thank you for doing your best for me. I love despair, so I really love you.” Her eyes had sparkled with emotion, a bit misty from being moved.

Afterward, she even kissed me on the forehead. So yeah…

“—Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?! I confessed to her?! I practically confessed to her?!”

“Seems like you’ve pieced together how it all went down. Well, whether you decide to accept or decline her feelings, brace yourself. She can be really troublesome when she gets serious.”

“Oh, can you shut it?! I know that already!”

Dammit, if that unhinged Pendragon really was into me, I wouldn’t be surprised if she somehow uncovered my real-life address and crawled into my bed one of these nights!

Next time my brother brought his fiancée back home, I might have to update my parents about my own engagement too, goddammit?!

“I-I mean, she’s really pretty, but… eeh…?”

I found myself scratching my head, still reeling from the bombshell Arata had dropped before ascending to the heaves as particles of light.

As I grudgingly followed his disappearing figure with my gaze… I ended up noticing it.

“Now, pull yourself together, Yuri. –Her ultimate expression of love is coming.”

I gazed upward at the sky over the Beginning Town, with Arata’s words echoing in my ears.

There, countless colossal spears were falling down like meteors!

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