「だああ、死ぬ死ぬ! ハインド、回復を!」
「残念だが、アイテムも魔法も
「えっ!? あっ! 剣が壊れ――」
「あ......死んだ」
ユーミルの体力がゼロになる。
俺はそれを見届けると、そそくさとゴブリン型のモンスターから距離を取った。
行動範囲内に攻撃対象が居なくなり、その場からモンスターが離れて行く。
だから耐久力無限の初心者用を使えって言ったのに......。
格好悪いだの何だの、見た目に
俺は灰色の表示になって倒れたユーミルに近付くと、これまた初心者用の回数無限の蘇生アイテムを頭からドボドボとふりかけた。
名前はその名も初心者用聖水、戦闘中は使用不可。
「......はい、おはよう」
ユーミルに色が付き、元気よく立ち上がる。
ちなみに戦闘終了から一分間蘇生させないと、死亡ペナルティを受けた上で最後に通過した街に戻されるらしい。
ソロプレイに厳しいな。
「やはり駄目だな! 最初の森でレベルを上げてから進もう!」
「俺は最初からそう言ってるよな? な?」
「だが、スタートダッシュを切りたいじゃないか! 折角の初日組なのだし!」
このゲームは今日の午前十時からスタートしたのだそうな。
現在は午後二時。
どの道、休みを取ったりで一日中やっている人には敵わないと思うが......言わぬが花という言葉もあるからな。
――じゃない、ユーミルのやる気に水を差す気はない。
しかし、これは余りにも非効率だ。
適正な狩り場の探し方、というのもあるんじゃないだろうか?
たった今、俺達は狩られる側に回った訳だけど。
瀕死状態で復活したユーミルに連続で回復魔法を掛けながら、俺はそんな事を考えていた。
「戻ったらちょっと検証しないか? 敵とのレベル差による補正とか、パーティで経験値が頭割りなのかどうかとか」
「検証? そんなのものは、攻略サイトの住人の方々に頼ればいいではないか! 我々はそれまで、勘に任せて適当に進むのみ!」
「力技な上に人任せだな!? まだ初日だし、さすがに情報も充実してないだろ。そういうのを自分達で探ってみるのも、楽しみ方の一つだと思わないか?」
ユーミルが固まり、長い
俺、そんなに変な事を言ったか?
「お、おお......」
「何だよ」
「そんなの考えた事も無かった......やはりお前と一緒だと、何でも新しい楽しみ方が見えてくるな! 誘って良かった!」
本当に、こいつは気持ちの伝え方がド直球だな......俺は時々、反応に困る。
何となく顔を見られたくなくて、俺は背を向けて先に歩き出した。
「いいから、戻ろうぜ。ドンデリーの森......だっけ? 初心者装備が使えなくなるレベルまでは、今日は付き合うからさ」
「本当か!? よし行こう、すぐ行こう!」
二人で元来た道を逆走していく。
道中、男ばかりの集団とすれ違った。
ユーミルには悪いが、ここはさり気なく距離を取っておく。
すれ違う際に、ひそひそと話声が漏れ聞こえてくる。
「おー、美人じゃん」
「お前、声掛けてみろよ。一緒にスクショだけでも撮らせて貰おうぜ!」
「オウフ。拙者にはあのランクの美少女は少々ハードルが高過ぎるでござるよぉ。フヒヒ」
案の定、ユーミルを男たちがジロジロと眺めてニヤついている。
......なんか今、一人だけ化石みたいなオタク言葉を使ってなかった? 気のせい?
ともかく他人のふり他人のふり......偶然同じ方に向かっているだけですよー。
無駄にツラが良い幼馴染を待ったが故の、自然と身についた回避技である。
このゲーム、ほとんど顔を変えられないんだもんな......敢えて不細工なアバターにしろとは言わんが。
もちろんユーミルが絡まれたりしたら助けるが、彼氏でもないのに無意味なやっかみの視線だけ受けるのは面倒だ。
完璧......俺の偽装は完璧だ!
「どうして急に離れるのだ? 寂しいではないか」
「今は近付いてくんなぁぁ!」
偽装失敗。
男オンリーのパーティから、嫉妬の視線が俺に向けて殺到した。
そもそも俺がゲームを始めたきっかけは、今から二時間前の正午過ぎに
今日は日曜日、バイトも休みで家でゆっくりしていたのだが......。
目の前で同級生の女子が、自室で俺に向かって土下座をしている。
長い黒髪が遅れてわさっと、カーペットの上に広がって落ちた。
酷い絵面だ......どうしてこうなった。
俺は未祐の体を起こそうと肩に手を乗せていたので、動きに合わせて飛んできた髪が顎と頬を攻撃してくる。
プラス女子特有の良い香り。
「いいのか!? いいんだな!? 毎日あんなに忙しいのに!」
「いや、一日に数時間なら問題ないと思うが。バイトだって毎日じゃないんだし、遅くても十時には終わるんだからさ。それよりも、俺にVRギアなんて買う余裕はないぞ?」
ウチは母子家庭なのだ。
母さんが毎日遅くまで働いているし、俺だってバイト代のほとんどが家計と「あるもの」の積み立ての為に使っている。
金が掛からない遊びならまだしも、現状VRギアなんて高額なものを買う訳にはいかない。
中古の古いギアに対応しているゲームなら可能だろうが、未祐は見た目に似合わず結構なゲーマーだ。
恐らく誘っているのは最新のゲームのどれかなのだろう。
「フフフ......そう言うと思ってな」
未祐が紙袋を漁りだす。
入った時から妙に大荷物だと思ったそれは――
「ででん! 最新型ギアのVRX3500だっ! しかも二個!」
スタイリッシュなデザインの黒いゴーグル型のそれは、確かにCMで話題のそれだった。
突き付ける様にして見せてきた一つは剥き出し、もう一つは抱えた箱の中に収まっているらしい。
「おおー......お? あれ? それって転売防止の為に販路が実店舗のみ、それも一人一個限定ってニュースで言ってたような。お前、何で二個も持ってんだ?」
「うっ! 普段ニュースなんて見ない癖に......」
そう、俺は普段ニュースをあまり見ない。
しかし、そんな人間でも知っているレベルの社会現象を起こしているのが、未祐が持っている完全没入型のVRギアなのだ。
発売と同時に開始されるゲームも既に複数ありFPS、MMORPG、スポーツ体感ゲームなどジャンルも多岐にわたる。
3500という謎の数字は、実際にVRギアを試作した数だという噂が流れているが本当なのかどうか。
発売日である昨日のバイト帰り、家電量販店には見たことも無い行列が出来上がっていて非常に驚いた。
買うと同時に身分証が登録され、基本的に二個は買えないらしい。
そんな事情もあり、どうやって一人で二つも手に入れたのか疑問なのだが......。
「あ、あー......実は、父さんを拝み倒してさ......」
「うっわ、会社帰りの
「通勤時間に整理券を受け取って貰って、帰りに一緒にな......。で、でも私だって苦労したんだぞ! 早朝に並んで、また夕方から長い行列に並んだのだから! 結局、延期で発売日が被ったせいで亘の誕生会には間に合わないし......22時を回っていたから呼び鈴を鳴らしても誰も出ないし......寂しくて少し泣いたぞ、私は!」
「あれお前だったのかよ! 非常識な時間だったから出なかったわ! スマホ使えよ、スマホ!」
「あ......忘れていた。驚かせたくて、黙っていようと思ったから......つい意識の外に......」
「ったく......夜中に一人で、危ないだろうが」
「いや、父さんも一緒だったぞ?」
「マジかよ! 章文おじさぁぁぁん!?」
「おかげで今日はぐっすりだ。家を出るとき、父さんまだ寝てたぞ!」
本当に可哀想だ......土曜日にまで出勤してそれかよ。
いやでもあの人、娘に物凄く甘いからな......。
未祐が言う通り、昨夜は俺の十七回目の誕生日だった。
母と、妹と、目の前のこいつとでささやかに祝う予定だったのだが......。
結局こいつは来なかったので、残った俺作の手作りケーキがさっきまで冷蔵庫の中に鎮座していた。
「と、とにかくだ。一日遅れではあるが......誕生日おめでとう、亘」
俺はそれを、ありがたく受け取る事にした。
最近ゲームからは遠ざかっていたが、素直に未祐の気持ちは嬉しかった。
「サンキュ。でもいいのか? こんな高価なもん」
「うむ、いいのだ! だが受け取ったからには、私がやるゲームに付き合って貰うぞ!」
「勿論、構わないけどな。それで、どのゲームをやるんだ?」
VRギアがあれば、ネットワークに接続してやりたいゲームをダウンロード出来るとのこと。
VRギアをパソコンに接続、個人情報登録等の諸々の手続きを済ませる。
ええと、入手方法......贈与、と。
登録に購入者である章文おじさんの個人情報も必要だった。
それが終わり、ギアを充電しながら未祐の話を聞くが専門用語が多くて分からない部分がある。
ちなみに俺のゲーム歴は小学生の時までだ。
基本的な知識はあるので、ある程度は付いて行けると思うのだが。
背中にのしかかってくる未祐の指示を受けながら、目当てのタイトルのダウンロードページへ。
「トレ......ああ、開拓者ね。ストレートなタイトルだな」
公式サイトではTBという略称を使用しているそうだ。
世界観設定は余り明かされておらず、ホームページには「君の目で確かめてみろ!」とか「君が開拓者だ!」などという煽り文が書かれている。
ぶっていてややウザい。
よくある中世風・剣と魔法のファンタジーMMOらしく、NPCに最新式のAIを搭載。
なんと状況に合わせてNPCが自動でクエストを依頼してくるのだそうな。
プレイヤーの行動によってゲーム内の経済の流通ルートが変わったり、国家間のバランスが変化するとかどうとか。
その時、ピピッという電子音がしてVRギアが充電完了を告げた。
確認すると、同時にゲームのダウンロードも終わった様子だった。
それを見ていた未祐が待ち切れないといった様子で俺を急かしてくる。
「よし、行くぞ!」
「え、もう? 待て、ますはトイレに行ってから――」
「後でいい!」
「水も飲んでおこうぜ。長くやるならさ」
「後で――え? 長くやっていいのか!? なら私も水を」
「うん。ちょっと待ってろ」
そんなこんなで、しっかり準備をしてから二人して横になる。
これから眠る訳ではないので、何だか妙な感じだ。
ベッドは未祐に譲り、自分はカーペットの上にクッションを敷いて寝転んでみた。
少し当たりが堅く、後から体が痛くなりそうだが仕方ない。
プレイ中は一部の脳の信号が遮断され、現実の体は動かないようになるそうだ。
勿論、呼吸等の生命維持に必要な行動はきちんとするらしいが。
VRギアを頭に装着しようと――うわ、こめかみが当たる部分に電極付いてるぞ、これ......。
怖いな、大丈夫なのか? 不安になってきた......。
没入型のVR事態が医療技術を発展させたものなので、問題ないと信じたいが。
「なあ、未祐。これって着けると意識が――」
「すー......すー......」
行動早いな、相変わらず。
仰向けでベッドの上に寝転び、形の良い胸が規則正しく上下している。
無防備だな......って、腹が出てるじゃないか!
タオルケットを掛けてやり、冷えない様に空調も弱めでつけておく。
一度、部屋の外に出て家の中の鍵を確認。
――防犯も問題無いな。
これでよしと......んじゃ、俺もそろそろやりますか。
部屋に戻ってヘッドギアを頭に着け、側面にある電源に軽く触れる。
無機質なメッセージの羅列が流れた後、俺の意識は電脳世界へと旅立っていった。
[Ahh! I'm going to die! Hind heal me!] 
[Unfortunately, both my items and spells are on cooldown. Try to do something by yourself.] 
[Eh!? Ah! The sword brok-] 
[Oh...she died.] 
Yumir's HP reached 0 points.
As I saw that, I took some distance from the goblin-like monster.
Since the target went out of its range of action, the monster left.
That's why I told you to use the infinite beginner hp items...
Saying that it's uncool or whatever, you care too much about appearances.
I approached the gray corpse of the defeated Yumir and poured the beginner revival item with infinite uses on her.
Its full name was [Beginner holy water] , it can't be used mid-battle.
[...Yeah yeah, good morning] 
Color returned to Yumir's body and she vigorously stood up.
By the way, apparently, if you don't get revived within 1 minute after the battle ends, on top of the death penalty you'll get sent back to the last town you've passed through.
Playing solo is quite harsh.
[It was impossible after all! Let's continue after we have leveled up in the forest at the beginning!] 
[You are saying that because I'm a beginner right? Right!?] 
[But, don't you want to rush through the beginning?! It's launch day after all!] 
Apparently this game launched today at 10 am.
The time right now is 2pm.
Anyway, I don't think we can compare to those people that take the day off to play all day long...but some things are better off unsaid.
I didn't want to pour cold water on Miyu's...I mean Yumir's motivation.
However, this is too inefficient.
I wonder if there's any way to find a suitable hunting ground?
Just now we were the ones being hunted instead of being the hunters.
Is what I thought as I kept casting healing magic on the near-death Yumir.
[Once we get back, why don't we investigate a bit? Stuff like the levels of the monsters or how much experience you get in parties.] 
[Investigate? That kind of stuff, just leave it to the people that make walk-through sites! Until then, we should just use our instincts to find a way to proceed!] 
[You are going to leave the hard work to others!? It's still launch day, I don't think that kind of information will be out yet. Don't you think that investigating by ourselves is another way to enjoy the game?] 
Yumir stood there, her long eyelashes made a *pachi pachi* sound as she blinked repeatedly.
I...Did I say something that weird?
[O-Oh...] 
[what?] 
[That thought never crossed my mind...Like I thought, When I'm with you, I find new ways to have fun! I'm glad I invited you to play the game!] 
Seriously, her way of conveying her feelings is too direct...I find it hard to react sometimes.
For some reason, I didn't want her to see my face so I turned my back to her and started walking.
[Anyway, let's return. Dondery Forest...was it? I'll tag along until our level is high enough that we can't use beginner gear anymore.] 
[Really!? Let's go right away!] 
We started walking back.
On the way back, we passed by a group full of guys.
I feel bad for Yumir but..let's try getting some distance from her and pass by them.
As we passed by them, I could hear whispers.
[Oh, Isn't she quite pretty?] 
[Hey, try talking to her! Let's get her to take a screenshot with us!] 
[For someone like me, talking to a beautiful girl of that caliber is too high of a hurdle...] 
Just like I thought, Yumir was getting stares from the guys.
...Just now...did someone just talk in a really old fashioned otaku way? Was it my imagination? (1) (The last person ends his sentences with -degozaru)
Anyways...act like you don't know her...It just so happens that you are walking the same way as her.
It was an evasive skill to naturally get away from my childhood friend who had a pointlessly pretty face.
In this game, your face doesn't really change much...though it's not like I want them to make the avatars plain looking.
Of course, if Yumir gets involved in anything I plan to help her out, but as someone that's not her boyfriend, I'd find the gazes of jealousy annoying.
Perfect...my camouflage is perfect!
[Why are you suddenly distancing yourself from me? That makes me lonely~] 
[Don't get close to me now!!] 
Camouflage failed.
Stares of jealousy flooded from the male-only party towards me.
As for the reason I started playing this game, we'll have to turn back the clock 2 hours.
Today, Sunday, I had the day off my part-time job so I was lazing around the house but...
In front of me, my female classmate was prostrating on the floor.
Her long black hair spread out on the carpet.
It was quite the awful sight...How did it end up like this?
As I had placed my hand on her shoulder to make her stand up, the sudden movement made her hair attack my chin and cheeks.
Plus it has the good fragrance of a girl.
[Is it okay!? Is it really OK!? Even though you are so busy everyday!] 
[Well, as long as it's only a couple hours every day I don't think there will be any problems. Besides, I don't have work every day and at the latest, I would end at 10pm.
My household doesn't have a father.
My mom works every day until quite late and the money I get from my work goes toward the savings for household expenses.
Spending on games that aren't too expensive would be 1 thing but I can't really afford to spend the large sum that current VR headsets cost.
If it was an old game that supported old headset models it might have been possible, but contrary to her appearance Miyu is quite the gamer.
Most likely the game she's inviting me to play is the latest game released.
[Fufufu...I thought you would say that.] 
Miyu started to look through her bag.
The strange thing she pulled from her bag was...
[Tadah! Its the latest headset VRX3500! I even got 2 of them!] 
They were a pair of black goggles with a stylish design, if I remember correctly they appeared in commercials these days.
She thrust a pair of them towards me while holding the other one under her arm.
[ooh...oh? Wait? I thought the news said that to prevent reselling them, they were only sold in physical stores and it was limited to 1 per person?] 
[Ugh! I thought you didn't usually watch the news...] 
That's right, I usually don't watch the news.
But, even people like me know of this kind of social phenomenon, The VR headset that provides full virtual reality immersion that she's holding.
With its launch, there's already lots of games that launched covering multiple genres such as FPS, MMORPG, Sports...
The mysterious number 3500 apparently comes from the number of prototypes it had, though I don't know if that's true or not.
The release date was yesterday and on the way back home from work, I was astonished at the long queue in front of the store.
They take your ID when you buy one, so it was impossible to buy 2.
Given these circumstances, the question is how she managed to buy 2 of them...
[Eh...eh...To tell you the truth, I persuaded my father to buy one...] 
[Uwah...You called Akifumi ojisan on his way home from work?] 
I had to wait there early in the morning and in the evening I had to wait in that long queue! In the end, because there was a delay, I couldn't get to Wataru's birthday party in time...I passed by at 10 pm but no matter how many times I rang the bell no one came out...I was so lonely that I cried a bit you know!] 
[That was you! It was an unusual time so I didn't come out! Use your phone!] 
[Ah...I forgot about that. I wanted to keep silent and give you a surprise so...I kind of forgot about it...] 
[Good grief...being alone in the middle of the night is dangerous.] 
[No, I was with my dad, you know?] 
[Are you serious!? With Akifumi ojisan!?] 
[Because of that, today he's sound asleep. When I left home, dad was still sleeping!] 
He's really pitiful...on top of having to work until Saturdays, this.
But that person does dote on his daughter to a frightening degree...
Like Miyu said, yesterday was my 17th birthday.
We were planning to have a modest celebration with: my mom, my little sister, Miyu and me but...
Because she didn't come in the end, the leftovers of my handmade cake are inside the fridge.
[A-anyway. It's a day late but...Happy birthday, Wataru.] 
I gratefully accepted her present.
I haven't played any games lately but I was really happy with her honest feelings.
[Thanks. But is it really OK? To give me something this expensive.] 
[Umu, it's fine! That's why now that you have accepted it, You'll have to play the game I want to play with me!] 
[Of course, I don't mind doing that. So? What game are you planning to play?] 
As long as I have the headset I can just download the game from the net.
I connected the VR headset to the PC, then I proceeded to register the headset.
Let's see...acquisition method...gift.
It seems like I needed the purchaser's personal information too.
After finishing that, while the headset was charging, Miyu started to explain a lot of technical terminologies that I didn't really understand.
Just so you know, the only experience I had with games was while I was an elementary student.
I do have some basic knowledge so I thought I would be able to keep up with her to a certain extent.
While having Miyu leaning on my back, I headed to the download page of the game.
[Trail...oh the pioneer one.] 
It seems like the official site abbreviates it to TB.
While not giving much information about the world's setting, the homepage had quotes like [Find out with your own eyes!]  and [You are a pioneer!] .
I find that kind of stuff a bit annoying.
It seems to be your usual middle ages MMO with a sword and magic fantasy setting, apparently, the NPCs are equipped with the latest AI.
From the looks of it, the NPCs will give you quests on their own under certain circumstances.
Player's actions will affect stuff like the economy of the game and the goods circulation routes. The balance between countries can also be affected.
At that moment, a *pipi* electronic sound signaling that the headset had finished charging reverberated.
As if it was confirming that the headset had finished charging, the game also finished downloading at the exact same moment.
As she saw that, Miyu who had been waiting impatiently urged me on.
[Ok, let's go!] 
[Eh, already? At least let me go to the toile-] 
[You can leave that for later!] 
[At least let me bring some water and food. We are probably going to be playing for a long time.] 
[You can leave that for la-eh? Is it OK if we play for long!? Then I want some water too.] 
[Got it. Wait here for a bit.] 
After making the preparations we lie horizontally.
It's not like we are going to sleep, so it kind of feels weird.
I let Miyu use the bed, while I used a cushion and lie on the carpet.
It's a bit hard, my body will probably hurt all over after this but it can't be helped.
It seems like while you are playing, a part of your brain becomes isolated and is used to move an artificial body inside the game.
Obviously, your body will still breathe and continue doing the actions necessary to stay alive.
Then I put the VR headset on my head...Uwah, the bit that hits my temple has an electrode connected to it, this...
This is scary, is it really safe? I'm starting to get a bit anxious.
I do want to believe it is since in this day and age virtual reality has made medical progress but...
[Hey Miyu. As I put this on I-] 
[zzZZ....zzZZ] 
Like always, she's always fast to take action.
Lying on the bed while facing upwards, her well-developed breasts were regularly going up and down.
She's too defenseless...wait, isn't her belly showing!
After putting a blanket over her, I lowered the AC so that we don't catch a cold.
I also went to check that all the doors were locked.
...The crime prevention system is also working.
With all that done...Well then, I should start too.
I headed back to my room, put on the headset and touched the power button on the side of the headset.
After hearing an electronic message, my consciousness began its journey through the digital world.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都