Chapter 36: [EDen] Wake the f*** up, SAMURAI. Let’s burn down the city together [Yuki/Rin/Lunaverse] (3)

[Floor 1. The Hood ─ The Hood]

[Erik: Come in. This is the Resistance’s base.]

Even after we arrived at Floor 1, the story scene continued.

Erik gave a quick rundown of the cyberpunk world and explained what the “Resistance” was all about.

The Resistance.

A group formed to fight against the AI overlord known as Deus Ex Machina.

Currently, humanity is under the rule of machines.

Deus Ex Machina, the core of all artificial intelligence, and its seven lieutenants.

Named after the Seven Deadly Sins, those seven manage humanity on behalf of Deus Ex Machina.

To better control humans, they built the “Tower.”

Six floors in total, from Floor 0 to Floor 5.

The higher the floor, the higher the status of its inhabitants. The top floor, Floor 5, houses the main body of Deus Ex Machina.

The Resistance operates mainly across Floors 0 through 3, working to destroy the AI overlord by any means possible.

“Right?”

“Indeed. I think I explained it rather well.”

– Yuki… understood that?

– This is hell

– The worldbuilding is no joke

– Cybull Punq~

– Cyberpunk 2022

“Anyway. Honestly, I don’t care about the story—let’s just clear some quests.”

“Phew… Fine. Let’s go do the quest we got from the Resistance earlier.”

Rin sighed and agreed.

After that story scene ended, we’d received a quest from the commander.

I opened my inventory to review the quest details:

[Main Quest ─ Red Comet Bandit Purge]

[Objective: The hostile group known as the Red Comet Bandits has been spotted in the junkyard. We believe they intend to scavenge abandoned electronics to craft weapons like the Resistance. Track them down, eliminate them, and bring their boss back to HQ.]

“So we just need to capture their boss, right?”

“Exactly. It feels like our first boss fight…”

“Nice! Let’s go!”

“Wait, we need to get weapons first. Didn’t you hear during the story scene?”

“Nope. Didn’t listen to a single word.”

“……”

– lol

– Come on, at least try to listen lol

– Rin’s eyes are dead…!

– lololololol

– Rin-sama scary

– Kowa…!!

– Listen to the story scenes!

(TL note: Kowa (こわ): Short for kowai (怖い), meaning scary.)

The Yukidan kept nagging me to listen to the story.

But seriously, who cares about story?

As long as the gameplay’s good, that’s all that matters.

I want to fight something other than fire-spewing drones already.

Like, I dunno, a mecha T-Rex.

“Haa…”

Rin sighed again and walked off to one side of the Resistance base.

“R-Rin! Wait for me!”

I chased after her to the forge area in the base.

There, guarding the forge, was an NPC girl with bright red twin tails.

When I spoke to her, the weapon purchase screen popped up:

[Reina: Welcome to the forge. Looking for a weapon?]

[Laser Cutter] ─ [50G]

[Black Screw] ─ [70G]

[EMP Hammer] ─ [80G]

[Energy Bow] ─ [85G]

[Double Revolver] ─ [120G]

[Neon Rifle] ─ [150G]

[Current Funds ─ 13G]

“Eh…? Rin, I only have 13 gold?”

“Of course. I defeated most of the drones, after all.”

“Ah… right.”

– lol

– You took out 2 and want to mooch? Really?

– fr lol

– Tried to catch a carry, ended up broke

– lololololol

[salute has donated ₩1,000!]

– Comrade Yuki. This violates the principle of equal production and equal distribution!

“Hey, don’t brand me a commie. I’m not like that.”

Why is Yukidan always so eager to paint me as a communist?

Okay, maybe I made a few jokes in the past, but it’s not like I overused them, right?

I ignored the comrade joke this time.

If I reacted more, the stream would just get stale.

And if I kept going, the sensitive types might actually start thinking I was serious.

“I’ll buy it for you. I’m using a sword anyway, and I’ve got spare cash.”

“Ooh, thanks!”

“Now, which weapon do you want, Yuki?”

“I want the Double Revolver! Dual pistols are romantic, okay?!”

– For real

– There’s something magical about them lol

– Cowboy?

– Of all things, dual pistols

– Wake the f*ck up, cowboy.

– lololol

– BANG!

– But dual pistols tho…

[Mawaru Neon has donated ₩10,000!]

– Dual pistols? Are you sure…? They’re hard to use…

“Eh? Dual pistols are hard to use?”

“Yes, relatively. Unlike melee weapons, you need to aim properly.”

“Heh…”

“Also, I’m using a sword because it gives me one extra dash. And since it’s melee, no need to worry about aiming.”

“Got it.”

Makes sense. Ranged weapons are harder because of aiming.

And I’m still a newbie, so something easier like a sword or hammer would’ve been smarter.

“But I can’t give up the pistol fantasy…”

But still. There’s romance in this.

Wielding twin pistols, gunning down enemies from all sides—

Just imagining it makes my ovaries vibrate.

“Haa… fine, do whatever you want. I’ll carry anyway.”

“Alright! I’m going with the pistols!”

– lol

– She’s really doing it

– fr lol

[Extra Tequila~ has donated ₩5,000!]

– Not a mesugaki, but a kusogaki, huh?

– Kusogaki?

– fr lol

– It’s like calling her a little s*** but in an endearing way

– LOL

– Perfect description lmao

With Rin’s permission, I selected the pistols.

Yukidan looked a bit concerned… but whatever.

If you’re uncomfortable, fix your posture.

This isn’t a sweaty tryhard stream—it’s about fun and fantasy.

“Let’s go! Got my new weapon—can’t wait to test it out!”

“Alright.”

– lol

– She’s way too hyped with the pistols

– Do not give this child a revolver

– fr lol

– Yuki Yuki pow pow~ pew pew with the pistols~

And with that—

Rin and I headed back to the junkyard.

---

[Floor 0. Garbage Dump ─ Garbage Dump]

[Strong Attack ─ Excision]

Zzzzt!

Rin’s blade, crackling with sparks, cleaved through a drone.

The drone took a direct hit and turned into a pile of char, crashing lifelessly to the ground.

That was our fourth battle.

The quest wasn’t as hard as expected.

Most enemies were drones we’d already fought before—and thanks to God-tier Rin-sama, it was going pretty smoothly.

“Yuki! There’s one on your side!”

“Oh, really?”

I turned my camera angle.

One drone, red exclamation mark flashing, had locked onto me from the back right.

I reacted instantly.

I lined up the crosshair and pulled the trigger on my revolver.

Pew!

A cute little firing sound, and a straight shot of pink laser.

It pierced the drone’s core, turning it into a donut-shaped fireball that exploded with a BOOM!

[Restaurance has donated ₩10,000!]

– Why is Yuki doing well though????

– fr lol

– Yuki’s not supposed to be good

– We’re supposed to roast her for being bad

– fr fr lol

– STOP DOING WELL!!!

“Hey now, Yukidan. If I do well, you’re supposed to praise me. Why are you all itching to roast Yuki-chan? Yuki-chan doesn’t get it!!”

– lololol

– Hehe… sry! lol ;;

– ^^7

– But… you’re our punching bag. Yes.

– “Top-tier hit feedback”

– lolololol

– Punching bag Yuki

“…Fine. Whatever. Yuki-chan’s sulking now.”

“Don’t be like that. I’ll give you a pat-pat.”

“Really??”

“There, there~ Our Yuki did great~ …That’s how you like it, right?”

“……”

“Yuki?”

“Heheheh…”

I flushed and giggled like a fool.

She praised me.

Rin-sama, the gamer goddess herself, praised me for doing well.

Right now I wanted to shout “Kiyyattoooo!!” and backflip across the room.

“Rin-sama maji tenshi… she’s an actual angel…”

– lol

– She’s totally melted

– lolol

– Kawaiiiii

– Is this… yuri?

– Rin-sama’s headpats… this is rare…

– Yuri is the future!!!

“…Let’s stop here.”

“Whyyy~ I’m enjoying this.”

“I’m embarrassed, okay?! Embarrassed, I said!”

Rin turned red too, flustered and hiding her face.

Honestly, I wanted to just strip her and throw her onto the bed—

Wait, should I?

She gave me headpats. That’s basically a yes signal, right?

Right?

VROOOM…!!

Just as I was loading up a dirty joke in my head—

An engine roared from somewhere nearby.

BOOM!!!

Trash piles exploded in every direction.

From the raining debris, a giant bike burst onto the scene.

Riding it was a girl in a red leather jacket that matched her hair color.

Behind her, dozens more riders followed, circling around to surround us.

[!!-BOSS ENCOUNTER-!!]

[Lv.27 Red Comet Bandit Leader, Flame]

A warning popped up, revealing the boss’s name.

Flame, leader of the Red Comet Bandits, had arrived to block our path.