𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒: 𝐇𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭
Chihaya leaves the Actor’s room with a blue face, holding onto the handrail as she climbs the stairs.
She collapses onto the sofa in the first-floor living room, turning on the TV with a pathetic laugh, “Fu-he he he he.”
The caption that appears with a bang says:
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『The Renegade Warrior, smashed to smithereens!』
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It wasn’t just the Renegade Warrior that was smashed to smithereens. Behind the scenes, the All-Rounder that Chihaya had borrowed was also crushed, and even her savings were blown away.
The cost of compensating for the All-Rounder hasn’t been deducted yet, but $13,700 will surely be gone. Considering the firearms, backpacks, and grenades that were added to the optional parts, it’s unclear how much savings will be left.
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“Red, red, huge deficit, red, red, red, red, red.”
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Chihaya, muttering as if broken, looks up at the ceiling with a powerless half-smile and writhes around.
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“Whyyyy?!”
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Chihaya screams. Originally a social withdrawal and not very loud, she doesn’t bother the neighbors, but it was a cry of her soul.
Chihaya cries and pats the capybara cushion’s head.
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“You said pass! I gave the password! Why?!”
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Chihaya doesn’t know that the Mecha Mecha Guidance Commander never mentioned a password.
Being unjustly hit, the capybara cushion’s calm face gradually soothes Chihaya, who squeezes out her remaining calm.
Wiping her tears and blowing her nose, Chihaya takes out her smartphone.
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Her red eyes, affected by tears, were filled with desperation.
With this huge deficit, she doesn’t know what will happen to her living expenses from next month.
Looking at the request page of Actor’s Quest, there are numerous combat-related requests in a row. Clearly, the number of combat-related requests has increased since the last time she checked.
Although she hasn’t achieved anything in combat, Chihaya breaks into tears again, wondering why.
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『――At the explosion site of the Renegade Warrior, there is an Actor commonly known as Bomber, and the connection is――』
“Shut up!”
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Chihaya, desperately scrolling the screen, turns off the TV that was telling her the cause of the disastrous situation on the request bulletin board.
Among the combat requests, there are also requests for investigation. However, all of them are directed to the remote areas of the New World. With the increased possibility of being attacked by bandit Actors or animals, they are hardly different from combat requests.
There are also lines of difficult requests.
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“W, Why? Show this to the skilled people. . . . . .”
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Chihaya’s account, considered to have outsmarted the three factions and destroyed the Renegade Warrior, has already been judged by the AI as a skilled combatant.
Unaware of this, Chihaya turns her head in tears.
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“D, Deficit, so, high-paying requests, lined up?”
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Chihaya has wrecked two All-Rounders in a row. She speculates that high-paying requests are lined up so that she can recover her losses.
Complaining about the unnecessary meddling, Chihaya looks at the requests and ponders.
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If she wrecks a mech again, it won’t just be a deficit. She’ll end up in debt.
Even though just a month ago, she had savings of $7,000. But there’s no use lamenting.
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It’s time to set a course of action.
Noticing an increase in requests for wildlife surveys, Chihaya comes up with an idea.
In order to enhance the safety of the requests, she should join a major clan.
There may be anxiety about the interview and how to respond, but the instability of income is far scarier than dealing with people. She wants backup to be able to reliably complete requests.
No more complaining about communication disorders. Chihaya was desperate.
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When it comes to wildlife surveys, the Intensive Hunting Club is famous.
Unlike scary groups like Order Actor, they engage in a lot of sensible activities and are proactive in conserving New World resources. They also carry out pest extermination, and the removal of annoying Actanoids like the Renegade Warrior is a slight concern.
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“Huh? Was someone from the hunting club in that battle earlier?”
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Although the Intensive Hunting Club is a private clan, they don’t have a unified logo or such. They tend to prefer camouflaged Actanoids, but individual Actors also prefer camouflaged designs.
Chihaya speculates that the camouflaged group in the earlier battle might be the hunting club, and feels a sense of camaraderie.
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“People who were bothered by the Order Actor, right? Fu-he he.”
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The interview topic is set to be the trouble caused by the Order Actor.
With this, she should surely be accepted.
Once decided, there’s nothing left but to act. Chihaya attempts to apply to the Intensive Hunting Club from her account.
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――She was blacklisted.
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“Why. . . . . .?”
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The energy she mustered fighting her communication disorder drains away all at once, and Chihaya is deflated.
From the Intensive Hunting Club’s perspective, Chihaya’s account 『Usapyu』, aka Bomber, is seen as a dangerous person, a nuisance Actor on par with the Order Actor, and their greatest obstructionist.
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“I didn’t do anything to be blacklisted,” Chihaya laments.
Staring at her smartphone, Chihaya lets out a dry laugh in her complete exhaustion.
The situation is terribly bad. Unable to join anywhere, she must face dangerous requests akin to gambling all alone.
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“Ugh, fu-he heh. I’ll, I’ll do, do it.”
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Chihaya resolves to take on the next request.
No matter what, she cannot fail the next request. She vows this firmly in her heart.
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――That was the first step towards a fateful encounter.
𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝟑 𝐄𝐧𝐝
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