NOVEL NEXT Chapter 73
[Gray City] Today is the last day of #KainohIzumi#StarsFlow#GrayCity
“First, I’m going to make a big trap.”
Let’s recall all the things I’ve experienced in Gray City so far.
I did a PK broadcast for fun and got attacked by my peers and seniors.
In the war, even though I didn’t use a nuclear bomb, I got scolded because I was the reason the war started.
Even when I played pranks on Suzuha, the Izutomo didn’t stop me properly, which made me cry.
I even got betrayed by Natsune during my trip to Oceanus.
After that, everyone has consistently bullied me.
Suzuha blew up a bomb at my base.
Senior Namikawa shot me instead of the target during a shooting competition.
I clearly lost all my materials at the casino because everyone except me plotted against me.
In other words, if I quit Gray City today, it means I’ve just been on the receiving end throughout this game.
No matter how you look at it, I don’t want that.
“I’ll make a huge trap and punish everyone….”
– Last time you got scolded by Suzuhachi doing that.
– This time will you get scolded by all of Stars Flow?
“It’s a little different from last time. Back then, Suzuha was being bullied without knowing anything….”
But now, everyone, including Suzuha, has adapted to the game Gray City.
So, if I dig a trap, it becomes the fault of the one who got trapped, right?
I have no hesitation anymore.
“Those materials and items are all stored in my storage. I’ll tell anyone coming to my base to take everything inside, but the moment they open it, boom… wouldn’t that be fun?”
– Who are you thinking of calling first?
– Let’s take vengeance on Natsune from Oceanus.
“I’m not planning to directly call anyone. Everyone has gotten used to it, so if I call them directly, they’d suspect it, right…?”
Especially with Suzuha, who reads my thoughts, and Ayaka, who plays the game well, it definitely won’t work on them.
If anyone’s likely to fall for it, it might be Senior Kurokami, right?
– By that logic, if Mei says she’ll give everything for free, wouldn’t that also raise suspicion?
“I already said today is the last day, so… maybe everyone will just be suspicious? And since I said it’s for free, I think they’d usually accept it.”
Of course, it probably won’t work on Suzuha, but if even one person falls for it, I can be satisfied, so it’s fine.
I specifically hope Yukari falls for it.
– It seems a bit risky, but if Mei likes it, then…
– After all, surely she wouldn’t die from opening her own storage, right? lol
Ah, this cool and heavy sensation, it’s my first time experiencing it.
The long time of humiliation and oppression… it’s been so tiresome.
It’s time to return as a skilled VTuber with a record for clearing Arcana Shooter’s hell, ‘Izumi Kainoh.’
– You’ve really prepared a ton!
– I didn’t think there would be so much to do in Gray City without using user mode.
The Izutomo in the chatroom were busy complimenting me.
I guess they couldn’t have imagined I’d prepared this much content.
Starting from a storage trap where a bomb explodes, a dance stage created with acceleration fields, and a roller coaster made using sliders.
Plus, a planetarium where you can see constellations at night.
Thanks to that, I used almost all leftover materials, but since it’s the last one, don’t you think I should at least do this much?
Checking, the people currently playing Gray City are Natsune, Suzuha, Yukari, Ayaka, Utsumi, and Senior Kurokami, totaling six people.
Now, I just have to wait for someone from that group to arrive.
I wonder who the first victim will be.
– But how the heck can technologies like these come from a world that’s supposed to be destroyed?
“…It’s just game mechanics.”
★
“…This is unfair!”
– Is it true that no one has come in an hour?
– In retrospect, even when we were in full swing, almost no one visited Mei’s base.
– It makes sense since she picked such a hard-to-reach mountain spot.
Even so, I said today would be my last day playing Gray City!
Can’t at least one person come by?
“Ugh….”
Time has led to 10 PM.
For me, who usually sleeps around 11 PM, I’m starting to feel sleepy, and my eyes are blinking.
Given that I’m streaming this time to celebrate Christmas and the winter break, it can’t just end with no events….
“…Let’s wait for just 30 more minutes.”
30 minutes passed after I said that, and indeed, no one came to my base at all.
– Can’t you just invite them directly to hang out?
– It’s a trap, but not using the rest is too wasteful.
“Indeed, that might be better….”
But if I invite them directly, it feels like I would have lost, so I don’t want to…
[Suzuha: What are you doing, Izumi? I see you’re online, but you’re not here today.]
As I was thinking this, Suzuha’s chat popped up.
Could this be a chance? I thought briefly, but no matter how I looked at it, I felt like Suzuha would see through my thoughts and I’d end up getting caught.
But I can’t just let a fish I’ve hooked slip away.
[Izumi: I’m organizing items at my base.]
The chat in Gray City is visible to anyone connected to the server.
So, saying this would look like I’m talking to Suzuha, but it would also pique everyone’s interest.
Of course, it’s okay if Suzuha comes too.
A bit scary though.
[Suzuha: Then we’re thinking of gathering everyone to hunt alien creatures, wanna join?]
“Alien creatures…?”
Thinking back, Ayaka said two days ago that she advanced her skills to an alien level.
Hunting alien creatures was new content that came up after I decided to quit Gray City, so I had only seen it in videos.
– Let’s go together and show Mei’s skills.
– It’s not good to obsess over one thing…
– I think today we can hunt and then deal with these tomorrow.
“But I wrote down that today is the last day for Gray City….”
– You could just postpone it once.
“I never take back something that’s been said!”
– Mei is a girl.
– She’s like Mama, so she’s actually more manly than anyone else in spirit.
I want to say that I’m actually a sturdy and cool middle-aged man with a mental age in the 40s.
But no one would believe that anyway.
What a pity that is.
“What should I do….”
Since they already said they’re gathering to hunt alien creatures, there’s probably no way they’ll come to my base.
But I also don’t want to just toss away all the things I put effort into making for almost an hour.
More than anything, the clock was already pointing to 11 PM, and even if I joined that hunt, wouldn’t I fall asleep in the middle?
Honestly, I’m already feeling extremely sleepy right now.
That would be rude.
But no matter how I think about it, it seems there’s no way to catch both hares.
“I’ll just… try out the stuff I prepared alone and call it…”
– Why???
– I really hope you wouldn’t do that.
– How about postponing it till tomorrow?
[Izumi: I think I should log off soon; it doesn’t seem possible.]
[Suzuha: If that’s the case, there’s nothing more to say. Sleep well.]
[Izumi: Okay. Good night, everyone.]
[Yukari: Farewell!]
[Ayaka: Good night, Izumi!]
[Natsune: Bye-bye!]
[Nekoto: Sleep well.]
[Hikari: See you next time!]
– Ah.
– God has abandoned us.
★
“…What should I do. It’s really boring doing it alone.”
– Isn’t that obvious?
– Why don’t you go and join them now?
“But all my weapons are over there, burning….”
My base is already blazing.
Of course, all my items and materials are inside, so there’s no way to retrieve them.
There’s no way I can participate in the ultimate content of hunting alien creatures with just basic gear.
“Still, it kind of feels like watching a Christmas party, doesn’t it?”
– Not at all okay.
– Maybe this is how it felt at a Christmas party with classmates today.
– Stop it.
– Why is my favorite acting like this…?
“Ah, it all burned away. …Well, I’m going to go. Bye everyone….”
– Okay. As long as Mei is happy, that’s what matters…
– Bye, Izumi!
“…Ugh.”
Once I turned off the broadcast, a wave of regret flooded over me.
Shouldn’t I have just joined the alien creature hunt like the Izutomo said?
Everyone’s so nice, so it would have been sufficient to ask them if it was okay if I left midway.
I can’t imagine them getting upset for not being there while we’re all doing content together, right?
Thinking back, I didn’t need to burn my base down at all.
Couldn’t I just come in and play during my free time?
“…Ugh.”
Such a fool. Why did I do that?
I hope no one thinks strangely of me….
“Uh….”
As I had this regretful moment and gazed out the window, snow was gradually falling white.
It hadn’t been snowing until just before I ended the broadcast.
The time was 11:50 PM.
“…At least it’s a white Christmas.”
And so, this year’s Christmas also came to an end.
“…Ah!”
With a kick before sleeping, I was out.
★
[Virtual YouTuber Minor Gallery]
[Title: Today’s Summary of Mei’s Broadcast]
[Written by: ㅇㅇ]
Officially declared that the Gray City broadcast ends today.
Of course, she’s the only one finishing, while the other members will probably continue.
Nevertheless, she stated she wants to do something fun together with the members before quitting.
She prepared a warehouse trap that explodes upon opening, a dance stage created with an acceleration field, a roller coaster made using sliders, and a planetarium built with a telescope.
However, the other members don’t seem inclined to visit Mei’s base since it’s quite remote.
In fact, during the entire Gray City broadcast, there had only been one or two visits right after it was completed.
Today, the other members said they would go hunt alien creatures, so she’ll end up dumping all the prepared content.
However, Suzuha mentioned in the chat that she can’t see Mei and decided to check in and suggested they all go hunt alien creatures, but for some reason, she refused.
In the end, she tried to experience everything she prepared alone, burned her base down, and complained that it was boring before logging off.
Even the abuse-prone Izutomo felt sorry for her and suggested they join the alien creature hunt together.
When logging off, she tried to lift the mood, but her voice sounded incredibly pitiful, making the Izutomo shed tears instead.
[Recommendations: 79 / Disrecommendations: 3]
ㅇㅇ: Don’t lie.
└ㅇㅇ: There’s no way a loser like that can do a broadcast.
└ㅇㅇ: In fact, they all had a great time together before ending, right? lol
└ㅇㅇ: Right? Please say it’s true…
Maker: Seriously, why did you refuse Suzuha’s suggestion?
└Suzuizu: It’s over for Suzuizu…
ㅇㅇ: Honestly, my breath got caught watching the whole thing today.
└ㅇㅇ: It reminded me of when I was the only one who didn’t go out with everyone during high school.
└ㅇㅇ: I almost got PTSD.
└Yudonga: Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
└EvilHeroYoungLady: The delusional turn-ons are ON. lol
ㅇㅇ: Some people who called Mei a loser need to repent.
└ㅇㅇ: Today’s broadcast, the theme of the Christmas party, was such a…
└ㅇㅇ: It could only have happened if it was “real.”
└ㅇㅇ: It left me with deep emotional scars throughout.
└ㅇㅇ: What the heck is my favorite acting like this???
└Squad Leader: You chose Mei. lol Tough it out! lol