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

Chapter 76

Chapter 76

The first time I ever played a full-dive game was in third grade.

I've never been good at communication, but in that first game—Kids Water—I had friends. Just for a short while.

Kids Water is a game where you use water-shooting weapons and take out targets by hitting them a few times with water. It's limited to kids thirteen and under, basically an educational game. A way to get children used to virtual space.

Almost every weapon is a water gun; there are no blades or anything, so it's perfectly safe for kids to play.

The girl I met in that game... was Chihiro-chan. I used the name "Rei." We were kids, so the idea of using a fake name never occurred to us—we were both using our real names.

We first met when I won a tournament open only to beginners.

"Hey, hey! You're amazing! You took everyone down all by yourself!"

I still remember her smile from that day.

Pure, without the slightest cloud—bright, heart-warming... like the sun.

"Uh, yeah. Everyone was just standing around not knowing how to use their weapons... I just got lucky."

"Hey! Let's team up! If we pair up, we'll never lose to anyone! I won the last tournament too!"

"Ah... s-sure."

Swept along, I teamed up with Chihiro-chan and fought alongside her many times.

Chihiro-chan was energetic and, on top of that, really good at the game.

A big part of why we became friends was that our player skills were equal. It was fun talking from the same level. Plus, we had the same hobbies.

"Wha—!? Chihiro-chan, you like Lupin the Third too!?"

"Yep! One day I'm gonna be a world-class thief and marry Lupin. See, I've got great growth potential, so I'll definitely have a nicer body than Fujiko-chan!"

...I definitely remember her chest already being pretty developed for an elementary-schooler.

"I-I like Lupin too... but my favorite is actually Goemon."

"So you like people who're good with guns!"

"U-uh, yeah. I like guns too..."

"Then I'll become the greatest thief, and you become the best gunman, okay? I'll be Lupin and you'll be Daisuke Jigen!"

Chihiro-chan grabbed my hand tight and said it with sparkling eyes.

"O-okay... I-I'll do it! Being thieves with Chihiro-chan... sounds fun... really fun!"

"Promise, Rei-chan!"

Chihiro-chan and I kept teaming up after that and climbed all the way to the top of Kids Water.

"Rei-chan and I are the strongest combo ever!"

Granted, it was only among kids under thirteen, only inside an educational game. Still, we truly were the "strongest."

"I'm quitting this game! If there's no one stronger than me, I'm not playing!"

"If Chihiro-chan's quitting, I'll quit too. Um... if you want... do you wanna play another game together...?"

"No way!"

"Eh!?"

"If I stay with you, Rei-chan, I'll get all dependent and never get stronger! I'd never become Lupin. Let's play different games and get strong on our own. Then, once we're both strong, we'll meet up and play together again! That'll definitely be the most fun ever!"

I thought she had a point.

As long as Chihiro-chan and I were together, we had no enemies. We wouldn't improve. Our individual skills would stagnate.

"B-but... do you think we'll meet again?"

"We will! You and I are tied by the red string of fate, after all!"

That was our last conversation. After that, I never saw Chihiro-chan again.

It all comes down to "we were just kids." If we'd at least promised "Let's meet at ○○ in five years," we'd have seen each other again. But we believed in "fate," left it up to destiny, and made no promise.

Honestly, I thought we'd never meet again—