Chapter 2: Shitty Games Maniac Challenges God’s Game

After I clear any kind of shitty game, for a while after the fact I feel like I can forgive most of the things that people would normally never forgive. It’s that kind of forgiveness that would respond with a smile and a nod of the head to the teacher who was preaching his usual rant “I know that it is Summer, but don’t do anything crazy out there!” as he assigns a shitload of homework to be done over the Summer vacation. At least he was consistent in his rants and didn’t jump from subject to subject like some other educators would do in a situation like that. It was just like a certain character from a certain shitty game that wouldn’t hesitate to slaughter people in thousands if it only meant being able to save the world. 「…… That’s why, even though I know you are excited to make your Summer debuts, don’t forget to study and be ready for the next semester. Right, that’s it! Dismissed!」 Hearing those magical words, a group of zombies that was the class until that point was revived, seemingly regaining their vigor and energy. The class fills with friendly chatter. It’s finally summer vacation, so let’s go somewhere. This year’s summer is the most important one! I am going on a trip with my boyfriend. I am definitely going to get myself a girlfriend this year! You can hear all the Normies talking about their plans for this Summer, and other things as well. (…… Now then, whatever should I do during this year’s Summer vacation?) Last year…… I’ve managed to spend the whole of my important first year high school Summer vacation by myself, doing nothing else but playing shitty games. And while I was fine with spending my three years of high school playing shitty games, no matter what they are, maybe it would be a good idea to play something else, just to have a change of pace from time to time? (…… Oh well, I’ll stop by the usual place on my way home and maybe I’ll decide after having a look around.) I decided to visit my favorite game store on my way back home, since I haven’t been there for a while since I was so busy with conquering “Shit Chronicles Online”. So I picked up my bag and exited the classroom. 「…………」 I didn’t even notice that there was someone staring at me. What exactly are the shitty games? If you were to ask me, someone who has conquered a huge amount of said games, I would say that they are some “reasons” that define them. I say that because there are a number of factors when it comes to shitty games that aren’t dependent on player’s skills, such as story, bugs, system, and so on. In that respect, the games that have overly high difficulty levels to them are also shitty games in their own right. …… Well, I guess that “Shit Chronicles Online” had its own share of unreasonable things and stupid mechanics. Some of them rather huge and unbelievable. So there’s that. In that regard this game here can be said to be an absolute opposite of a shitty game, a God’s game with no flaws whatsoever. 「ShanFro, huh……?」 「Oi, oi, now won’t you look at that! A Shitty Games Hunter is going for something other than usual? Is the world going to end by tomorrow or what?」 I turn around with the package in my hand, and I could see the owner of the store looking at me curiously. I was always buying games in this store, so we knew each other well enough to even engage in friendly chatter from time to time. 「Well, I suppose so…… After clearing “Shit Chronicels Online” I feel like I’ve had it with shitty games for a while…… So I thought I might as well play something completely opposite for a change, since it is Summer and all that.」 「Eh, you really cleared “Shit Chronicles Online”? I’ve heard that it would take at least two hours for a solo player to beat the Last Boss alone!」 「Please, I beat him in less than thirty minutes with a weapon that was hitting like a wet noodle.」 「Talk about a legendary accomplishment. Anyways, Hizutome-kun, congratulations on clearing the game.」 This game shop here, “SHOP ROCK N ROLL” has a lot of hidden gems when it comes to games they offer. With the Full Dive VR games becoming mainstream, the normal games are becoming more and more retro. But the VR technology was still relatively young, and this here game is said to be like a glittering star amongst the dark sky of every other VR game out there. When it comes to games, about fifty percent of them are nothing but shitty games, forty percent are perfectly normal, and about ten percent are Godly. It’s only natural that even amongst the godly ones there would be some hidden gems that even someone like me knows about. 「Still, ShanFro is amazing. This here is the last copy I have, and a new batch should arrive by tomorrow. It sells so fast.」 「What are you going to do this year in the Summer, Iwamaki-san? For me, this year surely is a good harvest so far!」 「Yeah, about that…… I’m afraid the shop will be closed for about a week at the end of this month.」 「Ahh……」 Go figure. I, Hizutome Rakuro, am something you might call a shitty game enthusiast, while this here Iwamaki Mana is the owner of the shop who mainly partakes to Otome Games. Regulars at “ROCK N ROLL” know that there are times during which the shop would be closed temporarily (although there was some kind of regularity to that). 「Oh well, no matter, I guess I’ll buy this, then.」 「Sure thing, thanks for your patronage. Now, be sure to go to the restroom and eat properly before any longer session inside of the game!」 「And don’t forget to do a fifteen minutes break every hour.」 Before I leave the shop, we exchange such words among ourselves, since deep down inside we are both hardcore gamers. On my way home I passed by a girl who was wearing a uniform from my school, but I was so absorbed in the game package that I didn’t even notice her. 「Welcome, welcome…… Ohh, ohh, it’s you, huh?」 「I’ve got good news, that repulsive gamer is finally going to do some major game!」 「Yup, yup, and it’s the same ShanFro that I recommended to you before.」 「Fufufu, Hizutome-kun is a player name after all, so no wonder that it would be hard to find him even if you search.」 「…… Really now, a maiden in love is truly a terrifying opponent.」 After all, we live in a world where activities like “Let’s go outside and play soccer!” and “Let’s stay inside and play some games!” are almost equal in value. And with the gaming being elevated to the rank of an E-Sport in recent years, it was even possible for up-until-now amateur gamers to live a decent life, avoiding unemployment.