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

Chapter 92

Chapter 92

My tactics had been defeated.

My tactic had been to use those bottle fragments to pinpoint the enemy's location.

The dummy bomb was completely unexpected. So was the attack with a dagger held in the mouth.

When the blast hit me from behind, my mind went blank. My experience declared it impossible.

Even as my brain accepted defeat, my heart burned with a fierce desire to win. At that instant, that person's—Tsukinami-san's voice echoed in my head.

——"Come."

In that instant, thoughts flooded the blank expanse of my mind. For one fleeting moment, a boundless, godlike sense of omnipotence took control of my body.

Rabi-chan's figure snapped into perfect focus. Too perfect. I could see the wavelength of her consciousness, the movement of her eyeballs, the rhythm of her breathing, the contraction of her muscles—or armor?—everything. From those movements and fluctuations, I could predict her next action.

I can't explain the logic. It felt like I'd grown a third eye. A gaze surpassing human understanding, as though a god's own eye had sprouted on my forehead.

Before I realized it, I held the Triad in my hand,

and before I realized it, I had parried the dagger.

I only came back to my senses after I had pinned Rabi-chan down.

(What was that...... that?)

My brain was exhausted. In that single instant, I had grasped an ability clearly unsuited to me. That was why.

"Eh."

The word "WARNING" floated in my field of vision. The following system message read:

——"Brain Fatigue Alert."

It's the alert that appears when you stay in virtual space too long and your brain fatigue peaks. I'd known the system had it, but this was the first time I'd actually seen it. No matter how long I played, it had never appeared before......

"Hey, hey, don't space out on top of people."

"Ah, sorry."

Come to think of it, I was still pinning Rabi-chan beneath my butt.

"Hurry up and finish me off~"

I released the restraints and stood up.

"Wait, huh? What's wrong, Shiki-chan?"

Rabi-chan also stood up.

"I won't deal the finishing blow. I've taken back the Triad and the match is decided. I'm satisfied."

"Ehh!? You don't want the honor of capturing the great Phantom Thief!? The MPs will definitely give you a huge reward!"

"I don't need it. I'm more grateful for the chance to fight you again, Rabi-chan. Get stronger, and let's fight again."

Rabi-chan's mouth opened and closed, and finally she shrugged in exasperation.

"......Shiki-chan, you're way crazier than any Phantom Thief. I love that about you, though—"

Rabi-chan's expression changed.

I sensed something off, but whether from brain fatigue or not, I couldn't place the source of the unease, and I was a step slow in reacting to what came next.

"Shiki-chan!!"

Rabi-chan charged at me.

But this wasn't an attack. Surely—

"No way......!?"

I was sent flying, and Rabi-chan—was shot through the center of her chest.

(Sniper!?)

Rabi-chan looked at me and grinned.

"Heh. When it's for someone you love, your body just moves on its own, huh?"

Rabi-chan dissolved into polygons and scattered.

"Rabi-chan......!"

Frustration flipped my switch again.

(Who the hell—!?)

I had no time to look toward the sniper's position.

A shadow fell over my head.

(Above!!)

I leapt backward. A figure descended where I had stood, twin blades aimed at the ground. The blades plunged deep into the earth.

"Fast...... no, more than that......"

The figure wasn't Space Gull.

"......A humanoid......!"

A silver, featureless-faced humanoid.

Six wings on its back. Wings made of golden energy.

A sword in each hand—not laser sabers, but solid, mechanical blades.

(It's coming!)

In a single step the humanoid closed the distance, pressing with twin-blade attacks.

(Vicious swordplay! Each strike is sharp and irregular!!)

The blades began to catch up—slicing shoulder, cheek—

(I—I can't dodge it all!? A mere humanoid's attack!?)

Even allowing for my exhausted brain, this strength—

(Inhumanly strong. I can't even scratch it......!)

Whose ability data is this!?

"Huh?"

It overlaps. Someone overlaps. These moves—someone......

The twin blades, the wings—yet someone overwhelmingly strong.

That's right...... these movements—

"Tsukinami......san!?"

My shock froze my feet.

In that instant, my arms were severed by the twin blades.

"Guh......!?"

The humanoid rummaged through my clothes and seized the Triad.

"So that was your objective."

"......"

"Can you hear me? Whoever's controlling this toy."

I'm fully aware this is the howl of a loser. Even so, I have to say it.

"—You'll pay dearly for this. Using a copy of that person won't go unpunished......!"

My neck was severed by the humanoid. Just like that first time Tsukinami-san cut me down, reproduced in perfect detail.

Indescribable humiliation...... I'd sworn to defeat Tsukinami-san, yet I'm felled by such a shoddy copy......

I won't accept this...... I won't!

(I'll crush it for sure. With my own hands I'll destroy this silver humanoid......!!)

My vision went dark, and I was deleted.

————Afterword————

Thank you very much for reading this far.

The next chapter will conclude this volume.

To help this work reach new heights, I'd be delighted if you'd click the "★Praise" at the bottom of the page! And if you spread the word, I'd cry for joy!

Right now the weekly rankings are finally climbing again, so if you haven't rated yet, even a single ★ would help! It really boosts my motivation!!

Thank you for your continued support! The side story will be out soon, so please look forward to it!