First Boss Battle (1)
"...I see. You already knew."
Sashitsu tried to steady his voice, but it was shaking.
Damn... Taiga, you clueless idiot. That was the thought that popped into my head automatically.
Timing it perfectly for when our cool Sashitsu would deliver his lines in that icy tone, I'd already loaded up my reaction.
In a situation like this, grasping it all so calmly... impressive.
Right?! So that's how it is!! You know, that kind of reaction. The perfect extra move.
But Taiga shattered everything.
"Then... you probably don't know this!! There are special specimens among the monsters!!"
Sashitsu immediately shouted in a panicked tone.
Stop with the desperate voice!!! Stick to the cool concept!! I desperately tried to rein him in.
Come to think of it, was this his original character? He used to be super cool. Now he was just cool on the surface—a total comic relief.
"There are especially aggressive ones. They don't wait for provocation—they attack humans first. The victims in this incident were probably taken out by one of those."
Sashitsu said it with a smug look, like Bet you didn't know that, huh? The cool guy act was totally tossed out the window.
"Yeah... with monsters swarming like this, if they all went after humans, Emoshita City would've been racking up bodies left and right. So some of them are extra dangerous, huh."
Taiga nodded, convinced. Finally... the reaction Sashitsu had been craving.
"Hmph. Those guys harbor real malice toward humans. They go on indiscriminate killing sprees at the sight of one."
Sashitsu tried to play it cool, but the corners of his mouth were twitching upward toward clown territory.
"So we gotta smash those bastards to keep the town safe, right?"
Taiga looked swept up in a sense of duty. Ooh... now it's feeling like the original.
Of course, things had changed quite a bit. Umi was in the spot where Taiga was supposed to be—party recruitment order had her first. Taiga showed up in April. But whatever, minor details.
"Yeah. I've been pursuing this incident on my own. I see potential in you all. Wanna join up?"
Sashitsu immediately pitched it to us.
"Hell yeah!! That's solid!!"
I nailed the extra reaction on cue.
"Why're you trying to play leader?"
Taiga said, eyeing him suspiciously.
Taiga...!!! Shut up, please!! With that intent, I clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Mmph?!"
Taiga glared at me in shock. Honestly, as a delinquent, I figured she might deck me. But she just kept glaring.
"She's just shy about it!! Ahaha! It's fine if Sashitsu leads!!"
I laughed it off.
"...I see."
Sashitsu nodded.
"Who decided th—"
Taiga tried to complain at me.
"Pleeease... just go with it for now, okay?"
I grabbed her hand and begged.
"W-Wait... grabbing hands so casually like...!"
Taiga's face flushed bright red—she had zero immunity to this stuff.
Phew... neutralized.
And so, Sashitsu became the leader, with us as his underlings. Pretty much canon. A little off, but close enough.
"You... you always grab girls' hands that lightly?"
Taiga asked me then.
"No way."
I shot back instantly. Honestly... I'd done way more skinship with Eri, but saying that felt like it'd lead to something irreversible.
"Sorry. Did that piss you off?"
I apologized to her. A girl her age would probably hate some random dude holding her hand.
"N-No... it's not like it bothered me or anything."
Taiga mumbled awkwardly. Surprisingly smooth sailing.
"Nah, it should've. A lowly Level 5 bug like me touching the noble hand of the great Level 7."
I said.
"Eheheh!! You're such a sore loser!!"
Taiga burst out laughing and patted my head.
"........Cute."
She muttered softly right after. I heard it, but pretended not to.
Anyway, in the end, the Sashitsu party was formed.
"See? Sashitsu's got the highest level. Born leader. Leader."
My job was simple: kiss the ass of this game's all-purpose protagonist and scrounge up the crumbs. That was my mindset.
"Look at you, sucking up with 'leader' right away..."
Taiga eyed me suspiciously.
"Anyway, there should still be dangerous monsters around here. Let's hunt 'em down today."
Taiga said.
"Got it!! Leader!!"
I bellowed my loyalty at full volume.
"Leader... that's too much. Feels burdensome. Annoying."
Sashitsu said coolly. Huh? Then why's your mouth twitching like that? Guy secretly loves the hat.
Way off from his canon setting.
"But say there is a dangerous one. How do we find it?"
Taiga asked.
"Monsters have habits—they stick to territories. If it rampaged nearby, that means one thing. This is its turf."
Sashitsu said, stroking his chin.
"I see. This is its turf, huh? Come out!!!"
Taiga interpreted it all delinquent-style.
Well... time for the mandatory event to trigger, huh.
The monster behind the first incident was about to pop out. The game's first boss. Players learned to sync with their party here. And awakened to the core of combat: Psychorobo.
Maybe... I'll awaken too? Couldn't help but hope. One reason I even transmigrated.
"GRRRRROOOOAAAR!!!"
A roar echoed nearby. Out came a humanoid monster wrapped in bandages—a mummy. Level 5, but boss-tier with a fat health bar.
"Dangerous one!! Battle stations!!"
Sashitsu drew his weapon, a wooden bokken, and yelled.
"Sweet!! Was getting bored anyway!!"
Taiga grinned ferociously.
"Everyone!! Formation!!"
On Sashitsu's command, we gripped our weapons and closed in.
I know physical attacks don't work... But mandatory event—no choice.
The first boss, Mummy Man, was immune to physical. Took double magic damage, especially weak to fire. The devs' message: use Psychorobo magic.
"Kieeeek!!"
I knew it wouldn't work, but swept up in the vibe, I swung my steel pipe.
Claaaang—!!
A barrier flared on Mummy Man, bouncing our weapons away.
"Wha... attacks aren't landing?!"
Sashitsu muttered in shock.
"ORORORONG!!!"
Mummy Man raised both arms for a double lariat.
Thwack-thwack-thwack—!!
We ate the hits and went flying, tumbling across the ground.
"Guh...! This bastard... is strong."
Taiga staggered to her feet.
"......Physical attacks don't work, huh. Big trouble."
Sashitsu muttered coolly, catching his breath.
Yeah. Any second now. Sashitsu's awakening event. I watched him expectantly.
Ping—!!
Sashitsu's eyes widened.
Ooh... big one's coming... big one's coming!!
"Psycho... robo. Psychorobo... I see. This is... the power of my soul..."
Sashitsu spat the exact game line, focusing his mind.
Fwooooosh—!!!
Light engulfed him.
"Come forth!!! Gladiator!!!"
With his shout, Sashitsu's starter Psychorobo appeared. A massive musclebound hunk in futuristic gladiator armor—a near-future warrior vibe.
Shit... seeing it live is badass. Mid-game trash, but its cool design made it a fan favorite. Fire and lightning attributes—versatile. Weak to wind and dark, though. Still, so stylish some madlads no-lifed it to endgame.
Then Taiga awakened too.
"I see... so that's how... Come forth!!! Fenrir!!!!"
Her Psychorobo burst out in a blaze.
Fwooooosh—!!!
A giant wolf with a flaming scimitar in its jaws stood guard.
"Grrrrr..."
Taiga's starter, Fenrir. Fire attribute, weak to ice.
Then me too...!
"Psychorobo!!"
I shouted, riding the vibe.
"..........."
Nothing. Yeah, figured. Fuckin' extra life. I'd just cheer from the sidelines.
"That Mummy Man's weak to fire!! Torch it with flame magic!!"
I yelled.
"Got it!!!"
Sashitsu nodded.
"Makes sense! Looks flammable!!"
Taiga laughed, directing Fenrir.
"Hey!! Shota!! You just stand there sucking your thumb!! We'll handle this!!"
Taiga shouted.
"Roger."
Fine, if she insists. I popped my thumb in and started sucking.
Slurp! Slurp!
Aah... takes me back to childhood. Nostalgic.
"No!! Not your actual thumb?! Pffft-hahahaha!! You're insane!"
Taiga cracked up.
No, you told me to. Anyway, the curtain rose on the first boss battle event.