Chapter 101: Dodge Barrel
At last, the 100th episode of the main story.
Thank you so much for reading up to this point.
"Dodge Barrel?"
Top Chat: Officially it’s called Dodge Barrel.
Top Chat: A team game where you throw barrels at each other.
Top Chat: Well, you can guess the rules from the name.
"Since we’re on the same team, I’ll explain."
"Kyo… Siren, I’m counting on you."
The semifinals. The ten of us—including Kyoka and Kirishi-tan—descended into a sky arena.
"Big brother. The goal of this game is to knock the opposing team out of bounds by throwing barrels from your own court."
"Hm."
"Normally, getting hit by a barrel wouldn’t launch you that far, but in this game, you get sent flying really far."
Top Chat: Siren flapping her arms is cute.
Top Chat: I didn’t get how far, but I get that she’s trying to explain.
Top Chat: Basically, you’re almost guaranteed to get blasted out of bounds.
"What about catching a flying barrel?"
"You can do it. But in 《Ochirite》, a character can only grab objects in a narrow area in front of them."
Top Chat: Specifically, how far?
Top Chat: Just the range directly in front of the torso, about where the hands can reach.
Top Chat: Isn’t that tiny?
Top Chat: In practice, you almost never catch one.
Top Chat: Dodge Barrel was added later, so maybe it wasn’t designed with that in mind.
"Also, unlike Dodge Ball or Dodge Disc, even barrels that bounce off the ground will send you flying if they hit."
"Got it."
Top Chat: Oh, it’s starting.
Top Chat: Do barrels sprout from the ground?
Top Chat: They respawn either when one goes out of bounds or after some time.
Top Chat: And the one who grabbed a barrel is…
"Elf! What misfortune, that I’m the one holding a barrel right from the start!"
Top Chat: Kirishi-taaan!
Top Chat: Sorry, Elf-san, but Kirishi-tan got the barrel!
Top Chat: Hah-ha-ha! The lambs claim our great victory!
Top Chat: Really?
Top Chat: Actually, we lambs are also seeing Kirishi-tan’s 《Ochirite》 stream for the first time, so we don’t know either.
Top Chat: Oi lol
"First target, not Elf—Siren, who’s off guard!"
"Ehh!?"
Top Chat: Nice!
Top Chat: She switched targets!
In the very last moment of her throwing motion, Kirishi-tan shifted her aim from me to Kyoka.
But the barrel still flew straight toward Kyoka’s front.
"I can catch—ahh!?"
Top Chat: She missed it!
Top Chat: Sirennnnnnnn!
Top Chat: Sunk, blub blub.
"Heheh. Siren, you thought you could catch that one, didn’t you?"
"Yes. …Could it be, I was baited?"
"Exactly. That was just barely too high to catch."
"Kirishi-tan-san, you aimed that precisely while switching targets…? Total defeat."
Top Chat: I thought the aim slipped when she switched targets and it just went straight.
Top Chat: Turns out it was bait.
Top Chat: If you’re confident in your reflexes, you’ll try to catch it.
Top Chat: And when you do…
"I’ve learned."
I grabbed the barrel that had rolled after hitting Kyoka and blasted one of Kirishi-tan’s teammates.
"Whhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?"
Top Chat: Knew it lol
Top Chat: Whoa, copied it in one shot…
Top Chat: No wonder she screamed.
"Alright, I’ll hit the next one too."
"How are you doing that so easily!?"
Top Chat: Yeah, that’s what we’re all wondering.
Top Chat: And then, fleetingly, we fall.
"Because I’m an Elf?"
"Why is that a question!?"
Top Chat: Which is it—"Elf is amazing" or "Elf-san is weird"?
Top Chat: Hmmm, half and half!
Top Chat: Honestly, Elf-san isn’t "amazing," just "weird," lol.
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