Chapter 1236 - The 13th Four Pillar War
—Now, now, I feel like I say this every time, but it has finally arrived!! The grand dream festival of the virtual world Arcadia, the 13th! It's time for the Four Pillar War!!!
With less than thirty minutes left until the opening! We're going to fully exc—I didn't stutter! We're going to heat things up with the customary pre-show program [Quad
WarBefore ]!!
Your host is the familiar Nonomiya Mikan, also known as the current West Faction (Vestol) fifth seat! Brought to you by [Saishiki Kenbi] Nonomi-chan! Yay-yay!!!
......
....
..
Real time, just before 8:30 PM.
"Her tension is crazy high."
"I love Nonomi-chan."
"She stuttered. Rare."
Having reached now after roughly a year, it was already beyond a 'hangout' and was a second home.
A trio of college students gathered in the spacious home theater of the Shijo mansion were exchanging words in front of the information program projected on the large screen.
"Yes, sorry to keep you waiting."
Joining them was the genuine daughter of the house, Shijo Kaede, who appeared with a tray of glasses and settled next to her best friend, completing the usual lineup.
Thus, along with Miki, Toshiki, and Shoko, who thanked her one after another, Kaede turned her eyes to...
The highlight is, without a doubt—no, can I even finish talking about it!! Can I finish talking about it in thirty minutes!!! It's impossible, everything is changing, I don't know, what on earth am I supposed to do, what am I supposed to pick up! Hey, the cue card over there isn't an instruction, it's a white flag! 'Just go with the flow' is not how this works!!!!!
"She's really raging."
"Nonomi-chan is cutest when she's pitiful."
"...Since I started getting involved in 'production', I understand her feelings a little now. Not just her, everyone related to program production is pitiful."
"Ah, haha... really, I wonder how it will turn out."
More than usual, the customary program rushed forward with momentum, full of a desperate feeling.
—And through that, toward the future of the dream grand festival 'Four Pillar War' that was fast approaching, which was no longer someone else's business but a non-realistic fact.
Today as well, each of them who threw themselves into that stage and soared beyond looked at their best friend's back.
"......That guy said he would join us (dot-emphasis: join us) when it's over, right?"
"It'd be hilarious if he actually came, in many ways."
"Even if it's not a live broadcast... watching a delayed parallel broadcast (dot-emphasis: delayed parallel broadcast) with the person himself is strange."
"I don't want him to overdo it, but... fufu, it looks fun, doesn't it?"
Affection, longing, and various other things. While directing numerous emotions along with their gazes, the friends who watched over the future of the coming stage—one part of the countless scenes in the world.
Beyond a game, another world.
The new world that fascinated the existing world with its vivid, intense, and endless sights was recognized as a virtual reality standing alongside reality, becoming part of daily life... for over four years now.
It was only natural that everyone in the real world turned their eyes to it.
It was inevitable to expect the brilliance of the heroes existing now as the ultimate entertainment.
Thus, the countless gazes and voices that were boiling with heat—
No, that's why it's impossible, it's terrible, the thickness of the script was a joke in itself!!! That's why I said we should make it at least an hour, you stupid producer!!!!!
They were busily and steadily performing the ticking of the countdown.
◇◆◇◆◇
◇The [Four Pillar War] is about to begin shortly◇
◇Participating players, please standby within your respective faction's war base◇
—And (dot-emphasis: And), so (dot-emphasis: so).
Although the reborn 'Four Pillar War' was finally about to begin, in the end, because they were only informed of a rough outline, the inner feelings of the participants were basically vague.
Even if they tried to list them out again, the reality was that they could only make rough predictions like 'probably PvE', 'probably base defense', and 'probably deadly hard anyway'.
In that case, to be able to respond to various situations... well, the personnel deemed best were selected by the command of our brain trust, but it was completely unpredictable how things would actually turn out.
The future was pitch black. In the sense that there was no foresight.
Anxiety was infinite. In the sense that it was Arcadia, which knew no moderation anyway.
—The breakdown of the selected 'Rankers' was six from the East, one from the West, two from the South, and one from the North, totaling ten.
From the top of the ranks, from the Eastern Faction Istia: Rank 1 [Sword Saint], Rank 2 [Peerless], Rank 3 [Crown], Rank 4 [Monarch], and Rank 5 and 6 [Left Wing] and [Right Wing].
From the Western Faction Vestol: Rank 2 [Flame Player].
From the Southern Faction Sotalm: Rank 1 [Sword Queen], Rank 3 [Castle Lord].
From the Northern Faction Nortalia: Rank 2 [Pack of Wolves].
—And the breakdown of the selected 'General Slots' was a four-faction alliance including dozens of former rankers.
Roughly three hundred from the East, two hundred from the West, four hundred from the South, and one hundred from the North, totaling one thousand. In fact, they were the cream of the crop, equivalent to the conclusion of group combat in current Arcadia.
Not only the special-after-special who were hailed as quasi-rankers, but even the others were the elite of the elite who couldn't be dismissed as 'others'. If not for the monsters who were extremely rare exceptions, they were all powerhouses in various fields who would undoubtedly take the top (dot-emphasis: top).
No joke, it was a distinguished lineup where if this didn't work, we might as well throw in the towel.
To be honest, no matter what lay in wait, I didn't feel like we would lose.
In the first place, since even the penalty for 'what happens if we lose' wasn't shown, what did it matter if we lost... but anyway,
To reiterate, I didn't feel like losing—if so,
◇Executing teleportation to the war field◇
◇The [Four Pillar War] will now begin◇
Let's go win as usual.
The spirit we brought was unchanged this time as well, and that alone would be more than enough.
Let's get excited.
By the way, according to the leadership, to tell the truth, in addition to the above, they wanted to bring [Hot Gaze], [Undying], [Dual Fists], [Screen], [Crimson Arm], [Scorching Arm], [Saishiki Kenbi], [Origami], [Blue Fairy (Milmarinus)], [Iron Extension], [Heavy Tank], [Automata], [Mighty Cut], [Knight], [Thread-Weaver], [Long Legs], [Poet], [Heroine], [Traveler], [Orb Law], [Mirror Law], [Sword Law], [Scatter], [Great Tiger], [Berumail (Bell-Mail)], [Protean], and [Cloud Hide].
Things don't go as planned.