11. At the Karaoke
11. At the Karaoke
"What a coincidence, Yuno. Are the people behind you your friends?"
"Yeah! Well, to be exact, they're the team members I put together for the experience activity last time!"
Yuno introduced us one by one.
"Come to think of it, the people behind Ter are the team members you put together to go to the experience activity together, right?"
"Yeah. I'll introduce them."
Ter also introduced his team members.
It was a subtle war of nerves, but not quite a war of nerves.
The first to launch a preemptive strike was──Ter.
"So the reason you said you couldn't go because you had weekend plans was because you were going out to have fun with your team members?"
"Yeah! It's not like I didn't consider going to hang out with you and everyone else, Ter... but I really wanted to hang out with my team members."
"...There's a guy mixed in there too, huh?"
"Yeah! You know Chrono, right? He helped out a ton during the experience activity this time!"
"Ah... haha..... haaah....."
I was deliberately unfolding this from a third-person perspective, and suddenly you turn your eyes to me.
Ehe, it's nothing.
I haven't done anything yet.
In the first place, there was no need to even attach the word 'yet'—I truly didn't intend to do anything at all.
"Chrono... I've heard a lot about you. The one who holds the reins of Mars, the berserker rumored far and wide, the only cadet to receive an A in the ranged combat practicum. And on top of that, the greatest contributor of the team that was the only one to beat the boss room designed to make you fail through sheer skill──is that right?"
".....No, not really."
I'd never held anyone's reins, least of all Mars's.
In the ranged combat class, I got that A by a single point, making it a borderline scrape.
And I probably couldn't have done a damn thing in the boss room by myself.
So what I'm saying is, I'm basically a dime-a-dozen scrub.
'So please, just, let's ignore me and move on.'
No matter how well I understand that hatred for NTR from playing through regressions, indiscriminately showing hostility like that isn't good for my fragile heart.
I instinctively ducked my head and shrank back, and before long, Mars stepped in front of me.
"Hey. Who the hell are you to give my friend the stink-eye?"
"Huh? Ahaha, I didn't mean it that way.... Sorry if I was misunderstood."
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Chrono."
"...Sorry, Chrono."
".............Okay."
Mars had barged in mid-situation.
I thought she came to end the war, but it looked like she actually came to pour oil on it.
Ultimately, we reached a situation where both sides stepped back, with a semi-forced apology.
And had I mentioned this before?
"Ter, you sure hang out with those two behind you often, huh? Now that the experience activity's over, there shouldn't be a reason to keep hanging out...."
"That's... it's just that we got close taking the same classes."
"Hmmmm. Is that so? So it was because you took the same classes that you kept hanging out with those two together...."
To want to hang out with them so badly, he'd formed a team for a 3-person group class by excluding his girlfriend, and what's more, it was packed solely with women...
"You're being way too suspicious, Yuno. Are you acting like this because I couldn't pay enough attention to you lately? If you're sulking, I'm sorry. I'll apologize like this."
"....Hmph, fine. I'm going to go have fun with my team members too!"
Let's go, Mars! Chrono!
Yuno linked arms with both me and Mars and strode into the karaoke room.
"Wait."
"....What. Do you have something else to say?"
No, she was about to go inside.
But right in front of her, Protagonist blocked Yuno's path.
"You're thinking of going to the karaoke room right now, right?"
"....So?"
"Since we've all gathered like this, let's all go sing together!"
"But stilllll....."
Yuno glanced at me and Mars.
It seemed like she was asking us to express our dislike for the idea.
"I'd love it if we all played together! Originally, the more people, the more fun it is to play!"
"Ugh....."
Mars, having the situational awareness of a rock, wagged her tail happily, saying it sounded good.
"Th...then what about you, Chrono...?"
"Could I maybe just go home?"
"............."
I wanted to run away from this horrific scene of chaos.
"Chrono. You're going with us, right?"
".....Tch..!"
There was no way things turned out as I wanted.
Ultimately, we entered the karaoke room together with Ter's group──and ah, I could feel it coming.
This horrific hybrid feeling.
An NTR-specialized villain dropped right into the middle of a place packed with god's apostles and packed with Protagonist's heroines?
[Emergency Mission]
[Apostle of Athena and Apostle of Hermes]
-This is an emergency mission issued by Cronus.
1. Challenge and defeat the Apostle of Athena to a duel (0/1)
2. Challenge and defeat the Apostle of Hermes to a duel (0/1)
Reward: Contribution 4 / Cronus's pleased smile
Upon Failure: He might be disappointed
[Trample the Apostle of Zeus]
-The only good Zeus is a dead Zeus.
-Thoroughly crush the ungrateful brat.
1. Trample the Apostle of Zeus with an overwhelming gap (0/1)
Reward: Rank Up Qualification / Cronus's heartfelt smile
Upon Failure: Extremely great disappointment
'Yeah, that figures....'
I more or less expected it would turn out like this.
That's why I wanted to run away, why I wanted to avoid it.
"In the first place, I don't even know how to sing well....."
"Haha! Then I’ll give you a special lesson on how to sing!"
"As if teaching me would make it that easy....!"
I was half-dragged away by Mars, who had me by the shoulders.
Shortly after we entered the karaoke room, and right around the time we started taking turns singing one by one──
"......Huh?"
I realized something was strange.
*************
Karaoke Event.
In the game, it took the form of a mini-game—in simple terms, you could think of it as a rhythm game.
For example, something like OSU or Taiko no Tatsujin.
Also, clearing difficult songs granted corresponding achievement rewards, and various Easter eggs existed as well.
However, I assumed this was purely an 'in-game setting,' and since this was reality, reality adjustment would kick in and it wouldn't be possible──
"The blessing of Muse, the goddess of music and arts, is imbued in it?"
"Yeah. So even tone-deaf people can sing reasonably well using Muse's blessing."
─Who could have known. That the in-game setting would chew up and spit out reality.
The gist was simple.
Choosing a song was the same as a regular karaoke.
However, songs were divided into 'difficulty' and 'performance style,' and through this, a 'score' could be determined.
If you didn't have an instrument you could play, a Mai-crophone was also OK.
After that, you played and sang along to the music coming from the karaoke machine to build up your score. The higher the score, the stronger the blessing's effect became, creating a spectacle as if a real singer was performing live.
"Well... that's true...."
Since that's how the in-game setting was.
Taiko no Tatsujin could also be used as an example here—once your score passed a certain point, more mascot characters would appear dancing on the backstage, and if you even hit a full combo, it showed a spectacle that was practically a festival.
Honestly, I thought that part was just a game-like production since it was a game...
...The moment divine mystery intervened, the production turned from a mere effect into reality.
"Do you by any chance have an instrument you can play separately? I saw the basic taiko and keyboard were set up."
"Well...."
To start with, there was one song I could full combo clear up to Master level.
Since I'd been grinding achievements, and the Easter egg effects were so good that getting just one made life convenient in many ways.
So, there was exactly one song I was confident I could play perfectly──but of all things, it was a death metal genre song.
'And a really hardcore one at that.'
I did wonder if it was okay to sing it here, where women made up more than half the group──but thinking it over, there was no particular reason not to.
I'd get my achievement grind done and get the Easter egg, so it was good for me.
And if the heroines got freaked out by me and drifted away to turn their eyes back to the Protagonist, there was no situation more comfortable for me than that.
"Well, if you really can't decide, just sing with me."
"Huh?"
"....What. You throwing a tantrum?"
"Ermmm....."
Come to think of it, why was Mars-yang sticking so close to me?
I subtly shifted my body sideways, putting some distance between us, and handed the karaoke machine to Mars.
"If you want to sing, go first."
"No, that's not what I meant..... Haaaah, you really are frustrating."
Just how much did she have to spoon-feed me? Mars clicked her tongue and rose from her seat.
So you see, when someone screams with their whole body that they don't want to eat, it's a problem if you keep trying to feed them, okay?
"Whatever, I'm singing first!"
She tapped the machine firmly, and the machine flashed with light.
Soon, after hanging the machine, which had transformed into an electric guitar, around her neck, Mars shouted out brazenly.
"I have arrived, you bastards!!!!"
Zweeeeeeeeing!!!
The characteristic mechanical sound of the electric guitar rang out through the amp.
After that, she passionately belted out a hot-blooded metal song perfectly suited for Mars, and simultaneously, the Muse's blessing Mars had mentioned began to slowly overlay reality.
"So this... is Muse's blessing."
A sandy field under the hot sunlight.
The salty sea breeze and the crashing sound of waves.
"Rock & Roll, you sons of bitches!"
'....So this is it.'
From what I remembered, if you played this on Hard difficulty and scored about a B, this kind of scene appeared.
I recalled that if you extended the combo further, raised the score, or increased the difficulty, more people would be added, or a new backstage set would appear.
"Hoo... Tada! What do you think of my skills?"
"Good job."
"Kahahaha! Is that the best you can say? Right now, I'm probably the best singer among everyone here!"
"Uh......"
Wait, was that an AOE taunt──
"─I can't let that statement go unchallenged, Mars."
"Huh? You mad? If you're mad, prove it with skill."
"....I accept that challenge."
"Heh."
Minerva immediately took the bait.
At the same time, Merk raised her hand as if interested, saying,
"I'm joining too! I might look like this, but I'm also good at singing!"
The number of participants gradually increased.
"Hmm... then should I join too?"
"If Yuno goes, I'll have to join as well."
Before I knew it, everyone was in agreement.
If it were up to me, I wanted to slip away quietly, but...
"Then me too."
Unfortunately, because of the missions, I couldn't back out.
"What, Chrono. Earlier you kept saying you hated it, but actually, you secretly wanted to do it, right?"
"...Everyone else said they were doing it, how could I back out alone?"
On top of that, since the missions required a group anyway,
I had no choice but to pull out my secret weapon.
"The title is, well...."
Destroy metal city
The title──Murder.
"Keyboard, Master Level difficulty. All Perfect mode."
"............."
".....?"
Mars's eyes narrowed.
"You... said you'd never been to a karaoke room before."
"....I only did it holed up in my room."
"You lied, again! This son of a bitch, for real!"
"Gah—Ju, wait! You tapped me, you bitch!!"
When you choke someone, that's not aegyo, that's literally attempted murder.
Ultimately, barely freed with Minerva's help, I guzzled down a water bottle, gasping for breath.
"Thanks. Seriously thought I was gonna die."
"............"
".....Huh?"
After drinking the water and putting it back, Minerva was still staring at me.
Soon, she spoke to me...
"By any chance, about death metal... no, never mind. It's nothing."
".........Ah."
Come to think of it, Minerva's character setting.
Outwardly a noble-looking paladin,
but in reality, behind the scenes, she was a mad, death metal-obsessed club addict.
.....Should I cancel it even now?