The Price of a Game
I’m going to die. A long, long rest had finally descended upon the Enforcers.
It was all thanks to our collective effort in dealing with that sudden swarm of Linkers. We had Carmen, who never loses when it comes to raw firepower; Nova-chan, who treats surveillance like a hobby; and various other Enforcers who did their best with their toy-like biological assault rifles.
If I had to break down the contribution ratio, I’d say it was about 45%, 45%, and 10% respectively.
The "various others" make up the biggest chunk, yet they didn't do much? Well, that’s how the world works. It’s always the few geniuses who lead the world forward.
So, what am I doing now that I’ve finally earned some downtime?
「KO——!!」
I was busy enjoying a fighting game with Nova-chan. Or is "enjoying" the right word? Mr. KO has been rejecting me for a while now. I’ve been staring only at Mr. KO, but he refuses to give me even a glance. It was infuriating.
“This game is trash.”
“Nera. You suck.”
No, that’s, really, no, that’s not it...
“One more round.”
“Trash game. Isn’t it?”
“Just one more round.”
Nova-chan picked up the joystick again. Great, negotiation successful. I need to change my strategy this time. Jab, hook, hook, right, uppercut...!
It’s working. I can do this! My survival time increased by a whole five seconds. As expected, offense is the best defense. If I keep attacking this persistently, I can break through that solid defense...!
Suddenly, my outstretched fist was caught. Then, my ankle, knee, waist, shoulder, and neck joints were shattered in quick succession.
「KO——!!」
“This game is trash.”
So, let’s play one more time. No, wait, I thought about it wrong. Let’s just play this fighting game until we die. And whoever gets tired first becomes the fighter.
“Nera. You suck. Boring.”
Thud. The joystick fell onto the sofa in despair. Good, I won this match. Nova-chan got tired first, so she’s the one who became the "fighter." I couldn't manage a triumphant smile, so I just stared at Nova-chan intently. But she had already flopped onto the single-person sofa, and she wasn't getting up again.
Total record: 100 matches, 100 losses. For the sake of honor, I absolutely cannot say who lost.
I turned my head to look at the TV screen. Seriously, this game is total trash. Both Nova-chan and I have transcended humanity, but once we enter the realm of gaming, the difference in reaction speed doesn't mean much. No matter how fast you move the joystick, the character’s movement limits are fixed. Therefore, once you reach a certain reaction speed, anything beyond that is meaningless.
What matters is what comes after: how well you understand the game’s rules. If you reach out your hand wrong, you die; if you defend wrong, you die. By the time you figure it out, you’ve already been beaten to a pulp. You didn't know? Then get hit. You still didn't know? Then die. You *still* didn't know? You don't deserve to win, do you?
Yeah, this is definitely a trash game. Games are supposed to be newbie-friendly. There’s no way a game would let you get beaten this badly just because you were curious. Ugh, I’m bored too. I’m never doing this again. If I had known such a grueling ordeal awaited me, I would have just gone for a walk outside the sector.
“Are you done yet?”
Carlos, who had been tapping away at his laptop, wore a listless expression. His tone seemed to imply, "Finally, it's quiet." I felt a sudden surge of defiance.
“No, we’re not done yet.”
I didn't pick up the joystick; instead, I grabbed the remote and switched channels, turning the volume to the max. A cacophony of noise erupted. His pupils twitched.
“Turn it off.”
“Okay.”
So toxic. He’s starting to sound just like someone I know. With a beep, the TV turned off. The squad was soon enveloped in silence. Hmm, what now? I don't have the confidence to survive even one more second in this boring barracks...
I jumped up. Just as I was opening the door to head out, he spoke.
“Do you... know anything about the Doctor?”
“Are you serious?”
An unexpected question from an unexpected person. Nova didn't react at all to Carlos’s sudden outburst, while Lira’s eyes went wide as she looked back and forth between me and Carlos. What audacity. To openly demand information about the supreme leader from an enemy spy? I should have known when he was tapping away at his laptop earlier. Working that hard is exactly why people lose their minds so quickly.
He’s not exactly young... or is he? Anyway, it’s a pity. He’s not at the age to die yet.
“If you don't want to talk, forget it. Get going.”
It’s not that I didn't want to talk! If it’s about the Doctor, I could actually talk all day. “He pretends to be smart in front of others, but he’s surprisingly a hard worker. Maybe that’s why he gets so jealous when he sees talented people. Should I call him a bundle of insecurity? To summarize, he’s a socially maladjusted person steeped in elitism.”
“Get going.”
Carlos still had that listless look on his face. Strange. I swear on my mother’s honor that not a single word I just said was a lie. When else would he get to hear such a candid story about the Doctor? That rigid squad leader will definitely pay the price for chasing me away so coldly. Yes, he definitely should.
After the Linker swarm and the Enforcers shared a harmonious bloodbath, the atmosphere in the Enforcer quarters noticeably sank. The usual noisy chatter had died down, and there weren't many people wandering the hallways.
Of course, not everyone was holed up in their rooms in despair. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Thud! Thud! Bang! Bang! Crash! Crash!
You could say those kinds of sounds were echoing endlessly. Yes, men are creatures who are naturally unwilling to lose. They might be a bit lacking compared to a Cadaver, but the testosterone sleeping within them was gaslighting them into slaughtering every enemy in sight.
If they were the type to hole up in their rooms just because they saw a slightly unusual Cadaver, they wouldn't have applied for the job of an Enforcer in the first place. Seeing them all training so hard really makes my heart swell. I gave them real combat experience and tightened the tension of the lax Enforcers. Perhaps I really am an indispensable existence in this massive organization called the Defense Bureau?
So, why am I here again?
“I told you not to get distracted, didn't I?”
Right, the evil demon with amber eyes had caught me. Oh, my god. Such a thing in this world. Where on earth did my perfect, fantastic Idea (private room) go?
“Wasn't there no training today?”
“Training is supposed to be done every day.”
“The others weren't doing it.” Though, thanks to me, they were all full of motivation now.
“You’re different.”
“You’re really so rigid... ah.” The thought leaked out before I could stop it. Strange, I was clearly planning to say something like, "Your hard work as the 1st Platoon Leader is truly beautiful~."
“Right. Shall I show you exactly what it means to be rigid?”
It seems the theme for today’s training has been decided. It was cruelty disguised as training. My goodness. What century does he think we’re in to be tormenting people in such a petty, dirty way! The legendary reputation of the 1st Platoon Leader was all just a thing of the past now.
“Don't.”
Ugh.
“Get.”
Hey, my arm is twisting! If it twists any further, Nera is going to die!!
“Distracted, I said.”
“Help me!”
I shouted at the top of my lungs with a heart full of malice, but not a single Enforcer responded to my desperate voice. Everyone was too busy with their own training.
Squeeze. Since no one was paying attention, the demon tormenting me tightened his grip with even more viciousness.
“At this rate, my arm is going to snap and rotate 360 degrees.”
“You seem relaxed. Try escaping in that state.”
“I can't. So, could you please let me go?”
“If you can't break free, you can just stay like that. As it happens, I have plenty of time today.”
What is this? This is the first time I've ever received such a novel "after-date" request. It’s definitely on par with "I can stay like this all day." But seriously, why is he paying so much attention to me? He used to just leave me alone if I looked like I was going to die.
Ah, is it that? Did he finally realize my competence after that haunted house part-time job the other day?
But if I’m competent, shouldn't he be cherishing me?
Yes, I know for sure now. This is the unique shyness of a boy who treats the girl he likes even more harshly. I’ve realized it. The key to breaking this restraint...!
“You’re bold. You want to stay in this position all day? Is that your preference?”
The surroundings went silent. What, what? There was no reaction to the distress signal I sent with all my might, but the noise dying down at this exact timing is just too blatant. So everyone was paying attention to me while pretending not to? I’m totally touched.
But defeating a demon is truly a difficult task. Carlos, who had already given the Enforcers a hard time, was putting pressure on me with a touch that didn't change in the slightest.
Good, I’ve realized it for sure this time. Judgment complete: I can't break free.
Nera is going to die.
It was true that he had been a bit emotional. Recently, Nera’s attitude had subtly changed, showing a strangely cheeky demeanor. To be precise, what should I call it?
She didn't openly rebel or show hostility, but it felt like a cousin who was strangely sulking. Of course, Carlos didn't have any family he could call cousins. Like most people who become Enforcers, they were all people who had lost their families for various reasons. In the first place, families generally reject jobs that involve high risks to life.
Anyway. Since various things had happened recently, it was true that he had resumed training somewhat emotionally. Therefore, trying to draw out her motivation by stimulating Inspector Nera’s wounds in the form of physical contact was a mistake born of his emotional state.
He had managed his expression on the outside, but Carlos was inwardly anxious. Training is necessary for survival, but ruining a person through training is a different story.
However, contrary to Carlos’s worries, nothing really happened. No, was it too quiet that it was actually the problem?
‘Did she fall asleep...?’
He couldn't understand it while watching Nera breathing softly in front of him. He had applied pressure somewhat weakly, but not enough to make someone fall asleep comfortably. If she were human, she should at least feel some pain. She was relaxed even with her arm half-twisted, and now she had actually fallen asleep.
It was a scene he couldn't believe no matter how many times he saw it. Does she not feel pain? Or is she not human? All sorts of bizarre delusions popped into his head.
“The 1st Platoon Leader knocked out a squad member. That’s going to be a bit controversial, isn't it?”
It was Carmen, who had been doing muscle training in the training area. He didn't know why she had decided to do ab exercises while staring at Carlos instead of using the fitness room, but she didn't miss the chance to add a word when Carlos made a mistake. Looking at Carmen’s expression with her eyes crinkling up, you could tell this was a joke. He hadn't really talked to Carmen privately, but they weren't on bad terms, so they occasionally exchanged jokes.
Mostly... it was jokes unilaterally started by Carmen. Anyway, Carlos could tell this wasn't a major misunderstanding. But would the other Enforcers, who were glancing at Carlos while pretending not to, think the same?
“She just fell asleep.”
“In that state?”
Carlos released the pressure. What was the point of continuing to pressure someone who was asleep? As he released it, Nera’s body naturally went limp. It looked too strange to just dump Nera on the floor right now. Therefore, he naturally supported her back, lifted her knees, and scooped her up.
Once he lifted her, he realized something else.
“You said you weren't interested in women for your whole life, and now you’ve finally rescued a princess that fits your taste?”
“You know that’s not it.”
Carlos, who would have usually ignored it with a straight face, ended up reacting to Carmen’s words. The more cowardly the dog, the louder the bark. Carlos was exactly like that right now.
Something... the reaction is... different! Age 35. Carmen, who couldn't get enough of other people’s dating stories, immediately took flight.
“What do you mean it’s not? Ah, was it not a consensual matter, but a kidnapping scene?”
It was also an emergency for Carlos.
“It was simple training.”
“To the point of losing consciousness, that is.”
The best thing to do in this situation was to ignore Carmen and leave. Carlos, who would have usually practiced that better than anyone, couldn't accomplish that simple task because of his tangled thoughts.
“What are you going to do now? Don't tell me you’re going to ‘personally’ leave the unconscious Inspector in your private room? That seems a bit unsettling, so I’d like you to allow me to accompany you.”
“There’s nothing to be unsettled about.”
“Hoho. I think you’d have to ask the unconscious Inspector that?”
She hit the nail on the head. It was all logic and truth. For once, it was a series of defeats for Carlos. In the end, Carlos left without a word, but it was more like he was tucking his tail and running away rather than being cool about it.
Carlos moved with his body stiffened. His pace was very fast, and he arrived at his private room quickly. He carefully opened Nera’s door. It was the second time he had opened this door. There was nothing particularly special in the room. You could say it lacked the scent of a person living there.
Carlos looked at Nera’s sleeping face. For a moment, a malicious thought crossed his mind to just throw her down, but thinking of what happened just a moment ago, he barely managed to loosen his grip.
As he carefully laid her down and exited the room, Lira was standing in front of it.
“Leader, what’s going on?”
Her eyes were narrowed, and her tone was strangely accusatory.
“Inspector Nera fell asleep during training. That’s all.”
“Reaaally?”
Even while looking at him with suspicious eyes, Lira walked away. Carlos let out a deep sigh only after confirming there was no one around. He had never felt tired from working, but today was an exceptionally grueling day.