Chapter 179: The Unknown Identity of the Unknown
“Good job. Good game.
After the second game, Kong and Ruin returned to the spectator’s seats and were greeted by Donald and the other members of the Dragon Chicks.
“As usual, you’re easy to understand.”
“It would be nice if we didn’t have to look for it.”
Con is right. Even in the crowded stands, there are no other players around the dragon chicks.
“You could have come over here a little more often.”
Why is that? Donald tucked into his fries, tilting his head. Kong sits down next to Donald and looks down at the battlefield.
It hasn’t started yet.
“… They’re going to put the third game on in twenty minutes.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re going slow then.”
“… What do you care about the next matchup?”
“I’m more interested in the identity of the star player than the game itself.”
“…. Oh.”
The third match was played between Dirk and Lyle of the Holy Elysian Order from the players’ side.
Star Player is Unknown and unmasked.
“I’d be more excited if it was a good-looking actor.”
“Yeah. Johnny’s and all that, it’s gonna be a lot more exciting.”
If they were that famous, wouldn’t they have revealed themselves right from the start?
Kong, Donald and Lemma are talking, and Auger, who arrives late, joins them.
“Ara, are we ready for the haunted house yet?”
“Oh, no! We’re almost done, and tomorrow we’ll start in earnest. I’m sure everyone else will be here later.”
“Heh~.”
“… What is it?
Kon looked at him with a smirk and said happily from the bottom of his heart.
“You couldn’t cheer for us… But you’ll be back in time to cheer for Zecca-chan, right?”
“No, no, no.
“Heh… “Oh… I see.”
“What a pain in the ass, this guy?”
And time passed.
It’s time for the game to begin.
Two men wearing black hoods enter the stage. You can feel the anticipation in the audience.
What surprises do they have in store for us?
The Aurora Vision was filled with comments from those who had been watching the event on the streaming TV, trying to guess the identity of the people who were watching.
As the whole room watches, the Unknowns put their hands on their hoods… And then they just take them off.
‘Oh my god oh my god oh my god! Unknown’s true identity is American professional gamers [Mike] and [Bob] ahhhh!!!”
The announcer’s excited voice echoes. There are two strong men standing in the stadium, who would be more convincing if they were military men than professional gamers.
And .
Everyone in the hall was thinking at this moment.
No, who?
–And…
**
**
**
A month ago.
An underground facility in a certain U.S. state.
In front of a group of strong men and women gathered in a dimly lit classroom-like space, an old man explains the contents projected on a projector.
They are a group of professional gamers called the ‘5G’s’. But they’ll never make it to the podium and grab the glory.
They are dark professional gamers who should never be seen in public. Their job is to control the winners of gaming tournaments.
Gaming tournaments are ostensibly called “good sports” and have a clean image… but in reality, behind the scenes, betting… Gambling is what they’re made of.
Therefore, the organizers need to control what they let win.
They are used in such cases.
They are good enough to beat the opponents whom the organizer wants them to lose and to lose to the players whom the organizer wants them to win.
They have been called by Kaminaga, a big Japanese company. The purpose of this call was to control the outcome of the tournament. In order to kick out the ordinary players and let the star players win, P. Era brought them in as the Unknowns.
And now, they are having a training session to select the members who will go to Japan. Their bosses are teaching them about Japanese culture and history in person.
The projector showed Japanese history, culture, and the origins of VRMMOs.
“… As you can see, the power of imagination of the Japanese people sometimes goes far beyond our imagination. It is said that Japan first started making anime, manga, and games in the early Edo period. Since then, the culture of “self-responsibility” and “peer pressure” has been deeply rooted in Japan. In other words, Japanese people always live side by side with death. They live under pressure every day. This culture has been nurtured by the desire to be released from such a tense situation. It is surprising that even in the 21st century, more than 30 people a day are killed by harakiri.
“Hu~.”
“Crazy.”
“Yes. These Japanese are hardworking, serious… They’re crazy. About 80% of the population is called hentai, which tells you just how fucked up the Japanese are. And the scariest thing of all… And the scariest thing of all… [HENTAI is contagious. Well… That was 20 years ago. I had a fiancée who went to Japan on business.”
The boss’s face is tinged with sadness.
“I lost contact with him. He kept working, but… A month later, I received a video letter. I saw her in it, a changed woman. Her silky blonde hair was greasy. Her sapphire eyes, the eyes I loved so much, were as cloudy as a dead fish’s. She’d always insisted on wearing brand-name clothes, but she’d changed her clothes for some shit T-shirt with a cartoon character’s face printed on it, and frankly, I couldn’t bear to look at it. He was chanting incomprehensible incantations like ‘Askirateete’ in a voice that sounded like the twittering of a little bird that I used to love. In the background, there was a huge display of books with male characters naked and embracing each other. It was a truly horrifying sight. And to my chagrin, he looked happier than when he was with me. I still have nightmares about that nightmare. My fiancée changed when she went to Japan.”
“… .OH.”
“Oh, baby.”
“Crazy Japaneses?”
“Now let’s get down to business. A request from a big Japanese company called Kaminaga. Two people. And the pay is amazing. But as I told you, Japan is a very dangerous place. It may be more dangerous than a war zone. Worst case scenario, you might not even be you. I mean… You need to be prepared to die.”
The boss’s voice lowers. Threatening… Not a threat… I want people who are willing to lay down their lives.
Hey, what do we do?
“I’m interested in the Japanese moe, but…”
I’m not gonna be a hentai.
The pro-gamers are in an uproar. But there are two who quietly raise their hands.
“Oh, Mike. And Bob! You’re going!”
Of course, boss.
“I’m going to beat up all the nikkid Nipponjin to a pulp.”
“Hmm. So you’re going to take the anti-HENTAI vaccine and you’re going to run the program…”
“Oops, no need, boss.”
“Yeah. I played against a Japanese gamer once. It wasn’t that bad.”
No, but you guys… You know…”
“I know, boss. I’ll do what the client wants.”
“I’m just gonna go out there and lose in the semifinals. Well, that’s an easy job.”
“Hey, Bob. After work, why don’t we tour the temples of Japan?”
“Oh yeah… I wanna play with GEISYA and JK too!”
Mike and Bob are already talking about sightseeing after work.
“Oh, I don’t remember how to say this in Japanese… [flag]… [flag]…”
The boss’s words never reached them.
