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

Chapter 70

Chapter 70

"......That's why, could you lend me your strength?"

Not in the virtual space, but in the real world in my room, I was on a phone call with a certain person.

"I apologize. I have plans on the 11th......"

It can't go that smoothly, huh. If I could borrow her help, the difficulty of the operation would drop dramatically...... A shame.

"I see...... Understood."

"Have you contacted Nico-san and Chacha-san as well?"

"Those two I asked through in-game chat, and they said OK. Since Ms. Shina wasn't logged in, I called like this with that intention."

A message would have been fine, but I had something else I wanted to ask Ms. Shina, so I chose a call. This side is more nerve-wracking, but going back and forth in messages for long would be rude to her.

"If those two are joining, it should be fine. It will be a fun festival. I'm sorry I can't take part. Still, I was surprised that Shiki-san would ask for cooperation."

"Eh? Why?"

"I thought you had a nature where the stronger the opponent, the more you want to settle it by yourself."

"What do you take me for...... If this were purely my problem, I'd have charged in alone."

"You are charging in, though."

"This time, if I fail it'll cause trouble for others, so I'll challenge it with perfect fighting strength. Besides, I plan to monopolize the main dish."

"Fufu. Sounds like you have something you want to do. I'm looking forward to hearing about it later."

Here I bring up the other matter.

"Sorry, Ms. Shina, actually there's one more thing I'd like to ask."

"Ask away. I have plenty of time."

"Actually, I met the Six Sages and spoke a little."

"I thought they'd contact you sooner or later. So, what did they say?"

I relay to Ms. Shina what the Six Sages told me.

"I see. So what Shiki-san wants to know is the Six Sages' combat style, right?"

"Yes. I'm curious that she's the exact opposite of me."

"Fumu. Indeed, exact opposites. Shiki-san is a sniper who only shows true strength alone, whereas the Six Sages is a sniper who only shows true strength in a group."

Just as I thought.

"So you're saying she's good at coordination?"

"Command ability, coordination ability, both were excellent. Coordination always depends on compatibility with the partner, yet she could perfectly match with anyone. The members of Yggdrasil had top-level individual strength, and at the same time were all strong-willed people. But she could perfectly unite that team of unique personalities."

Just looking at Tsubasa-san and Ms. Shina, it must be tough to bring them together...... And the fact that the moment the Six Sages left the team immediately collapsed proves her amazing command ability.

"She could provide support and let allies take the kill, or have allies support and take the kill herself. Her instructions were precise, her communication ability high, and on top of that her nurturing ability was high. She had perfect abilities as a leader."

From Ms. Shina's tone I can feel strong trust toward the Six Sages. Her voice is a little higher than usual.

"Alone, I think you're stronger, Shiki-san. But in that fight, if in that ranked match she had led Crimson Wings in Tsubasa-san's place...... we wouldn't have had a chance of winning."

"Tsubasa-san herself had high ability as a leader though......"

"Yes. She's dexterous, so she handled the leader role well. But in the end Tsubasa-san relies on her own power. She tries to change the course of battle herself. That could be called confidence, or arrogance. ——Shiki-san, in the last ranked match, what do you think was Crimson Wings' biggest cause of defeat?"

I don't think Crimson Wings made any real blunders. We were actually trapped by Tsubasa-san and Ms. Ren, and almost taken down by their coordination.

"If I had to say, it's that Ms. Kurenai drew with Nico-san, isn't it."

"Exactly. More precisely, it's that Ms. Kurenai challenged Nico-san to a one-on-one fight. Tsubasa-san probably saw high chances of victory and pushed Ms. Kurenai forward, but the Six Sages would have prioritized regrouping."

Now that I think about it, right after that fight between those two was settled, Tsubasa-san appeared before Nico-san. Meaning she was that close. If we were to take down Nico-san, regrouping would have been more certain.

"Tsubasa-san must have considered the possibility of Ms. Kurenai being defeated. Yet she still sent Ms. Kurenai because she had confidence that as long as she herself was safe, she could win. Ms. Kurenai probably also wanted the one-on-one fight with Nico-san, but the Six Sages would have convinced her to regroup and the two would have taken down Nico-san. She could control both her own desires and others' desires and take certain gains. In that regard too, she differs from you, Shiki-san, who is honest to your own desires."

"Ugh......"

Exactly as she says.

"Moreover, Ms. Kurenai and Ms. Ren of Crimson Wings have very good coordination and high comprehension, so as 'pieces' they're quite excellent. They're beings better moved as a 'set' rather than as individuals. The Six Sages had quite strong synergy with those two in terms of combat style."

Crimson Wings itself had good compatibility with the Six Sages. That must be why she could declare "Even if we fought 100 times we'd win 100 times."

"......A sniper can see the battlefield from a bird's-eye view far in the rear. The Six Sages isn't a sniper because she's good at sniping."

"Among the many role choices, she chose sniper because it's the easiest to command from, I suppose. Her sniping ability is first-rate, but she also had close-combat techniques enough for an attacker."

I prefer being a sniper because I can be alone, and she prefers being a sniper because she has no intention of fighting alone. Even the same sniper can be so different in type.

"I can't win against her......"

"Why?"

"Eh, well...... Isn't someone who's strong in a team more amazing than someone who's strong alone? Especially in this game there are many team battles...... People strong in team battles can reach higher. So......"

"Can't win against?"

"......Yes."

A small laugh came from the other end of the call.

"That's wrong, Shiki-san. This game is designed so that if there's enough difference in player skill, you can win even one against many. In the end, for the ultimate individual, numerical superiority doesn't work. In fact——the Six Sages challenged White Meteor with a single division, used Infinity Arts, and still lost."

"Eh!?"

To Tsukinami-san......!?

"Look, you participated too, didn't you, Shiki-san. Your very first battle."

"Ah!?"

The army that was fighting Tsukinami-san when I first logged in...... That was the Six Sages' army!

"Currently reigning at the top is White Meteor. Like you, someone strong precisely when alone. Is the 'height' you aim for the Six Sages? Or is it——"

The place I aim for is already decided.

"It's fine to admire, to be jealous of people who have abilities you lack, but I don't think you need to admit defeat."

"......Thank you, Ms. Shina. You're right. I'll aim to be the strongest sniper, in my own way."

"Yes. I'm also looking forward to seeing how far you can go."

The call ends.

Ms. Shina, she's really mature.

(And she's younger than me, which makes me pathetic......!)

A high school student being lectured by a middle school student, here I am.

――――――Afterword――――――

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