Chapter 57

The heat was oppressive. At times like this, I really envied Nana’s constitution, which didn’t even produce a single drop of sweat.

While wandering around the venue, I was thinking about such things.

Something about the body’s temperature regulation function. Our doctor was surprised when he found out, but I don’t quite understand the details.

“L-Linne-san! Please sign this!”

The autograph session had ended long ago, and I was now free time. But, being a professional gamer is a popularity business, after all.

A shy girl mustered the courage to call out to me, and I responded graciously.

“Sure. Where would you like it?”

“Um, um… how about right in the middle of the controller?”

“What good taste. …Here, try to get better with this.”

“Wow… thank you!”

“Enjoy it.”

She must have brought a white controller specifically for this. I signed it in a place that wouldn’t interfere with gameplay.

Just that small act made her hug it with a beaming smile and thank me profusely.

“Um, can I…?”

There it is. I had said I don’t usually sign things outside of autograph sessions, but I could predict this would happen after favoring a child.

“Line up and show me what you want signed.”

I gave these basic instructions to the growing line of people wanting autographs.

☆

“Ah… I’m tired.”

I enjoy fan service. I get energy from everyone’s smiles, and it makes me feel that my activities are making a difference.

Even as a professional gamer, many people’s main activity is streaming.

Some people are considered professionals if they earn money, but the definition of a professional gamer is still ambiguous.

Tournaments with prize money have been around for a long time, and there are people like me who can live off prize money alone, as well as those who earn salaries through contracts with companies as streamers.

Still, nowadays, people who make money from games generally receive support from companies.

There are countless ways to earn money through entertainment, whether through video uploads, streaming, or other means without a regular job.

Well, to be honest, I don’t really care about that.

I have savings in the tens of millions, and if I were doing it for money, there are far more time-efficient ways than playing games.

The more you delve into any game, the wider the range of enjoyment becomes. For console games, it might be different, but for online competitive games, the fun comes from battling opponents of similar skill.

Creating an environment where I could compete on a grand stage with such opponents was the quickest way to achieve this.

“HEROES” itself is a gaming team I created solely for my own enjoyment.

“Mr. Linne, good work today.”

“Oh, Mr. Dharma. It’s been a while.”

I was resting in the staff room because the fan service was physically draining, and the stout elderly man who spoke to me was Dharma.

Dharma Takemasa. One of the developers of WLO, a person with significant influence in the gaming industry, and one of my clients.

“We met about two months ago, so it’s not that long.”

“During the testing phase. Yes, you’re right.”

“This event was particularly exciting thanks to the inclusion of the RTA community from CroCro. RTA is generally more popular overseas, so having a guest like you was essential for attracting them.”

“I understand. It was also nice for me to meet overseas players again. It was very meaningful.”

The 100% completion RTA for CroCro is extremely time-consuming, and there are very few runners in Japan.

To be honest, it’s a matter of life and death. I was bedridden for three days after my run. With the game culture being so deeply ingrained, it’s inevitable that the focus shifts to such extreme gameplay.

However, even my record, which took over three days, couldn’t be attempted in this two-day event.

The longest run today might be around 12 hours. For CroCro, 30% completion is probably the limit.

“Still, you’ve found a troublesome talent, Mr. Linne.”

In the middle of our casual conversation, Dharma suddenly changed the subject.

He didn’t specify who he was talking about, but it was clear.

“Hehe, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you make that face, Mr. Dharma.”

“This is no laughing matter. WLO is managed to a certain extent by advanced AI, which means we can’t directly interfere with NPCs. Of course, there are operational NPCs for events, but most NPCs ‘live’ in that sandbox. I didn’t expect the Red Wolf to be defeated so quickly…”

“Is it okay to talk about this with one player?”

“You have invested a significant amount in us. Of course, I won’t reveal any spoilers that would ruin the game. However, due to Miss Nana, WLO is progressing at an accelerated rate. We may have to move up some events.”

Dharma sighed as he said this.

I have no involvement in the development of WLO, but I provided the funds through the Takemasa family.

I had been keeping an eye on the director since the CroCro days, and my father readily lent a large sum of money when I asked.

“Was that all you wanted to talk about today?”

“No, there’s one more thing. The WGCS, which will be held in three months. Do you plan to have Miss Nana participate?”

“Yes, of course. The theme this time is VR shooting, which suits Nana perfectly.”

WGCS. The World Gamers Championship, a global gaming festival.

This year, the highlight of the week-long event is a shooting game.

In the past, the themes have included MOBA, fighting games, and even TCG.

This is the first time VR has been chosen, which is why “HEROES” has set up a VR division.

The prize money is astronomical, and the prestige is supreme. The battle for a ticket to the gamers’ festival is drawing closer.

“The current cutting-edge shooting game, which we also provided technical support for, can be described as a strategic game similar to MOBA, but it’s basically a squad-based battle royale. Is that a weak point for you, Mr. Linne?”

“It is for me. However, I’ve already scouted potential players for that genre, not just Nana. The other members are prioritizing practice in that area.”

“Oh, so you don’t think Miss Nana needs it?”

“Yes. That’s just who she is.”

Nana is currently experimenting in WLO, but she is extremely averse to hurting others in person.

While this aversion is somewhat mitigated in games, it still affects her performance in PvP.

On the other hand, she shows no mercy to animals, and she can be quite ruthless with ordinary monsters.

Nana’s true strength lies in ranged weapons, from throwing weapons to crossbows, bows, longbows, pistols, shotguns, miniguns, and sniper rifles.

Her uncanny ability to hit her target with a drag shot 100% of the time is something she does not just in games but in reality as well.

For such a person, it’s better to let her move freely rather than force her to practice.

As long as I provide her with the necessary information, she can handle the rest on her own.

Also,

It seems her stats have improved, but her avatar probably hasn’t caught up to her real physical abilities yet.

Her potential is far greater than what I know from seven years ago.

Living a normal life has likely dulled her instincts, but a world full of stronger opponents is a good environment for her to regain her strength.

The preliminaries for the WGCS will start in a month.

It’s a bit of a tight schedule, but she should be ready by the main event.

“Hehe, it was a short but meaningful conversation. The event is still ongoing, so please enjoy it, Mr. Linne.”

“Don’t collapse here, Mr. Dharma.”

With a theatrical laugh, Dharma left the room.

“Phew… I should rest a bit more before heading to CroCro’s space…”

I was so tense in front of people that I had forgotten I was resting. I leaned back in the chair and started browsing the WLO bulletin board on my mobile device.

Incidentally, Linne is not only from a wealthy family but is also a super-rich individual. Nana is mistaken, but the 40-story building she currently lives in is entirely owned by Linne. Envious, right?

However, for such a massive game project, I had to rely on my family. Good job.

By the way, Linne only provided the funds when asked, so from the developers’ perspective, she was the best sponsor possible.