"If you die in the game, you'll die in real life. This tragic situation occurred in the VR game Sword Art Online. As a result, it seemed like VR games would die out, but with the apperance of the admin package "the Seed," VR games regainwd their popularity, and many safe games were created. Once such VR game had a particularly grim worldview, and won its core popularity with player versus player duels that use guns instead of swords. The roar of gunshots in a barren wasteland becomes a dry gale that sweeps over the land. The name of that game is..."
*Inside GGO*
"All players logged into Gun Gale Online, your attention, please. Beginning today at 14:00, we're hosting the team battle royale tournament, Squad Jam! Each team has a maximum of six players, and 24 teams are participating. Which team will survive in a devastated world?"
"You're really fired up, huh?"
"I wasn't going to participate if I got a ticket for Elsa Kanzaki's concert, but..."
"You couldn't score a ticket, huh?"
"So... let's do this!"
"Let's do out best, P!"
In another area, A blue hedgehog was in a team with randoms. The blue hedgehog was looking at his beam sword.
"Look's like I don't need you anymore." The Hedgehog said
The Hedgehog put's his sword away and take's out the Hecate 2 and the Desert Eagle. He pull's it back as the other players did as well.
"Wish me luck guys! Thank you for letting me use this sniper!" The Hedgehog said
"Squad Jam... game, start!
The black room changed to the battlefield as all teams were in different areas of the battlefield.
"So our start point is in a forest, huh?"
"That's a disadvantage."
"Because we can't make use of your sharpshooting, and my outfit stands out?"
"Right. Cover up before we leave the forest."
The plauer give's the little girl a coat.
"I don't mind if you shoot through the poncho with your P90. I'll check the map."
The two looked at the map.
"So, we're right here?"
"No enemies within a 1 km range. We can ignore the north and east. And, that player name 'Sonic' is on way here."
"So, which way? M?"
"We'll head due south. I prefer an urban area. Follow ten meters behind me." M said
"Roger. I'll follow you."
M and the little pink girl started running towards the south. Behind them was the blue hedgehog following them the the Desert Eagle. He point's the Desert Eagle at the little pink girl. He pull's the trigger as a loud sound of the gun was heard around. The bullet hit's the tree.
"Someone is shooting me from behind!" The little girl said
"Who is it?" M said
The little girl turn's around and point's her weapon at the oppenet but, she didn't see anyone from behind.
"I don't see nobody!"
"Forget that right now, just continue running." M said
"Roger!"
The little girl and M continued running.
"Damn it. I should follow her to where their going." The Blue Hedgehog said
The Blue Hedgehog started following them. The blue Hedgehog kept following the little girl and M. Soon after, they heard shooting noises.
"Stop: Get down. That's a 5.55 mm-class assault rifle.
"There's one close to you Sonic. A 5.55 mm-class assault rifle." Sonic's team mate said on his speaker
"Roger." Sonic said
Sonic take's out the Hecate 2 and lay's down behind a tree and look's threw the scope.
"Someone else is using a submachine gun." M said
"You can tell?"
"Yeah. They probably tried for a tactical position, but were unlucky and clashed with each other. The forest to the weast. It's no far." M said
"I see."
"We'll take it slowly. LLENN, take the lead. This direction. I'll tell you if you go off course." M said
"R-Roger." LLENN said
LLENN started running to the direction.
"I'll going to push them." Sonic said
No respone's.
"Hey, did you hear me?" Sonic said
"Three of our team mates are out. Just the three of us now." His other team mate said
"Damn it, whatever, let's continue." Sonic said
Sonic started following the pink girl.
"P-Please let me not run into any enemies." LLENN said
"If she stop's, that's a great way to finish her." Sonic said
A little bit later, LLENN stop's running because she didn't hear gun shots.
"M, the gunfire's stopped. Could they be heading this way?" LLENN sais
"Don't ask pointless questions. Keep going." M said
LLENN continue's running super fast. Sonic kept following her with his speed.
"I got you right I want you." Sonic said
"If there's an enemy behind that tree. If a sniper sets their sights on me..." LLENN said
Soon after, LLENN trip's and fall's at the ground.
"Enough! Come and get me! We might shoot each other, but my P will rip you apart!" LLENN taking out her rage
A fire noise was behind her. LLENN turn's to see nobody again. She get's back up, grab's her weapon and continue's running. Sonic came out behind a tree and continued following her. They continued running till they saw a city in the distance.
"The city." Sonic whisper's
Sonic slide's behind a bush not far from LLENN.
"The next satellite scan is about to start. I enemy will be able to track me down. Hey, get ready for the next scan." Sonic talking with his team
No respond.
"Hey, can anyone hear me?" Sonic said
Sonic didn't know that he was the last person standing on his team.
"Stop! Get down. Stay alert. Don't turn around. I'm 300 meters behind you. It's almost beem nine minutes. Once the satellite scan starts, your position will be revealed to the enemy. That's why I kept my distance." M said
"I see. Because only the leader's position is revealed." LLENN said
"If we're unlucky and the enemy's close, they'll definitely attack you after the scan." M said
"A-And if they do?" LLENN said
"Let out a generous spray of gunfire, follow the forest's edge, and fall back. I'll circle around to the left and shoot whoever's pursuing you." M said
"So I'm a decoy? That's a cruel strategy!" LLENN said
"You don't have to look at the scan. Just stay alert." M said
"Rog- M-M, I spotted the enemy." LLENN said
"Thirty seconds until the scan. Describe them as best you can." M said
"U-Um, on the far side of the highway! In the city! I think it's over 200 meters away!" LLENN said
"Calm down. How many do you see? What guns?" M said
"At least five people. I can't identify their guns. But they're not small! They're behind rubble. They just stopped. Wh-What should I do? O-Open fire?" LLENN said
"Your P90 won't hit them from that distance. The scan is starting. Wait there." M said
"Even though I found them first! What do I do! What should I do?" LLENN thought
"Confirmed. There's one team on the border between the urbam area and the highway. This distance is over 200 meters." M said
"A-Anything else?"
"It's okay. At that distance, they shouldn't be able to engage you in combat right away." M said
LLENN take's a deep breath but soon after, Five laser pointers were pointing at her and one behind her.
"M! I'm being targeted!" LLENN paniced
LLENN run's away and bump's into the blue hedgehog as the two of them fell down at the ground. Then, the five players stared firing at them. LLENN look's and see's a blue hedgehog. LLENN hug's him.
"Please don't kill me please! M! They're firing randomly at me! I'm scared! Help!" LLENN panicing
"Fine, just take cover with me from the bullets." Sonic said
The two hid behind a tree.
"They're using machine guns. 7.62 mm-class generic machine guns. Going by the sound of the rapid-firem they're probably MAGs. Multipleweapons. Because of the speed of the rapid-fire, I cam hear the reveberation too, so a 56 mm is mixed in there as well. A Minimi." M said
"Stop analyzing and help me!" LLENN yelled
"If you're safe now, stay hidden and you'll be fine." M said
"Seriously?" LLENN said
LLENN and Sonic just stood behind the tree as the bullets were flying everywhere.
"If I throw a flash bang and the bullets hit. We'll be hit by it instead." Sonic said
"Any time now." M said
"Any time for what?" LLENN said
"It's nothing, Stay there." M said
*With The Team That Was Firing At LLENN and Sonic*
"Rapid-fire, rapid-fire! Strafe! Ack-ack! Random fire!"
"As long as we've got bullets, keep firing! That's the way of life for the All-Japan Machine Gun Lovers!"
Then, one of them get shot in the head. They all stopped firing.
"Hey! Cease fir-"
Another one get's shot twice in the heart and fall's down.
"Snipers!"
"From behind and foward-"
Another get's shot in the head twice.
"Take cover!"
The two other players hid behind a wall.
*With LLENN and Sonic*
Sonic pulled back the Hecate 2 while LLENN was still behind the tree.
"What happened? Did you kill all of them sir?" LLENN looking at Sonic
"I killed a few of them." Sonic said
"Another team picked them off from behind. That helped. I'm on my way. Don't accidentally shoot me. And who did you say 'sir' too?" M said
"S-Saved and I'm here with a blue hedgehog that fired at the players too." LLENN said
"Did he fire at you?" M said
"No."
"Good, keep an eye on him. You don't know if he could something odd."
"Roger. *Sighs in relief* I was about to die without firing a single shot." LLENN said
M apper's behind a bush.
"M..."
"Use it. I didn't tell you earlier, but the scan showed up one more team that was close enough to engage. And good thing blue didn't kill you." M said
M and Sonic were lying down looking threw the scope of their snipers.
"So, they're the ones who attacked?" M said
"Yeah, Maybe the machine gunners checked the scan and thought they were far enough away, or they were surprised by how close you were and overlooked the other team. Either way, they were careless." M said
"Th-Then you knew and used me as a decoy?" LLENN said
"That's right."
"That's right"?
"Let's observe from here foe a bit. There were five machine gun guys. Three are dead already." M observing
"Those two aren't looking over here at all. You should shoot them!" LLENN said
"I'm not going to attack right now. Here they come. The wider street on the left. Behind the bus on its side. Nice moves, They're in sync." M said
"Four of them?"
"No, there's more." M said
"How? Can you see them? Where?" LLENN said
"I don't see them yet, but those four are taking the shortest route to the last machine gunners while staying under cover. There's probably two more high up in a building giving thise four instructions. I bet they have sniper rifles, too. They're the ones who picked odd the machine gunners." M said
"I don't see them!" LLENN said
"They won't be somewhere easy to spot. If you ever have to reveal your rifle or yourself, you've failed as a sniper. But splitting up with only six players on your team is a bole stragtegy. A team that does so withour heasitating is tough. Those two are goners." M said
"Look's like the other team threw something something at the two guys." Sonic said
They look and see one of the player's from the oppsing team throwing a grenade to the two guys.
"Dammit!"
The two guys started running as the grenade exploded behind them. One of them got shot from the side while the other got shot too.
"They're wide open. Now's your chance, M and blue." LLENN said
"No. I could take out one of them, but then the others woukd hide. I'll let them go past. They probably think we retreated deeper into the forest." M said
"So now what?" Sonic said
"The four are on the move!" LLENN said
"There. Look at the building with the arching exterior design." M said
Sonic and LLENN both zoomed at building to see a player rappelling down.
"What is that? Amazing!" LLENN said
"Rappelling. Using a rope to descend a vertical surface." M said
"Oh? I didn't know about that skill I kind of want it." LLENN said
"It could be hard for people who are afraid of hieghts." Sonic said
"Those guys are a little different. Witg the GGO rappelling skill, you can't descend that fast. I've done it, so I know." M said
"Same here." Sonic said
"Then..."
"That's not a skill they learned in the game. Those guys know how to rappel for real." M said
"Amazing. Maybe they're mountain climbers?" LLENN said
"I wish that were the case." M said
"What do you mean?" Sonic said
"M, it almost sounds like you know what they do in te real world." LLENN said
"It's a guess, but they can move with disciplined precision and can rappel quickly. Those guys may be combat pros." M said
"Pros?"
"Like the name implies, they're people whose job it is to fight. Cops, Japan Coast Guard special forces, or Self-Defence Force soldiers." M sais
LLENN and Sonic were shock.
"Isn't that basically cheating? Pros aren't allowed to play!" LLENN said
"There's no rule against it. It wouldn't be strange if pros used GGO to train, and participate in Squad Jam to test their skills." M said
"That is ture." Sonic said
"What do we do? If we don't take them out, we won't be able to secure a position in the city. Do we even stand a chance against them?" LLENN said
"It's impossible."
"So blunt!"
"Then what do we do? What are we supposed to do now?" LLENN said
"Why are you so worried? It's just a game." Sonic said
"Are you lucky, LLENN?" M said
"What?"
"In your life up to now, have you been blessed with good luck?" M said
"Let's see... Uh, yeah, I've been lucky. I'm a lucky girl! Probably." LLENN said
"Good enough. We're gonna bet on that luck. We'll check the next scan here. If we're lucky, we'll make our move right away." M said
"Make our move?" LLENN said
"I'm betting the exccessive gunfire from before is attracting a lot of the other teams. We'll let the pro team handle them, while we make a beeline to the end of the highway. Instead of hiding at the edge of the city, we'll head for a central residential area." M explaining
"I see."
"The threat is any enemies within 3 km of us that we may encounter in the next ten minutes." M looking at his scan
LLENN and Sonic were looking at their scans as the time finish and started scanning.
"Seven and a half teams have been wiped, 17 remain. M! There are three marks near that pro team." LLENN said
"We're lucky then. And those poor bastards are out of luck." M smiling
"Then..."
"Yeah. We'll let the three unlucky teams buy us time as we get out of here." M said
"Alright, let's do it then!" Sonic said
*Later*
Sonic, LLENN, and M were looking at the city hiding as they heard gun noises.
"The battle's started." LLENN said
"It's time!" Sonic said
"All right! Go, go, go!"
Sonic and LLENN started running really fast together leaving M behind.
"We shouldn't get too far ahead, right?" LLENN said
"I'll tell you when to stop." M said
"Am I a decoy again? Even though I'm team leader, I'm being exploited with a enemy beside me!" LLENN thought
"Let's hurry!" Sonic said
Sonic run's faster leaving LLENN behind.
"Hey! Wait up!" LLENN trying to catch up at Sonic
*At The City*
A player was behind a red car to hide himself. He heal's himself with a health shot.
"I somehow survived that. Hey! Is anybody else around?"
"Yeah! I'm alive!"
"Wher are you? Are you okay? Let'a regroup and get out of here!"
"I can't do that. After all, I'm..."
Another player apper's from the dark and start's shooting at him. The bullets hit everywhere around his body and fall's down.
"...the enemy. Idiot. You could've checked the statis of yout teammates. Well, I'm the last one on my te-"
Then, someone started firing at him as his body fell at the ground.
"All right! We profit while others and then sweep up the rest."
"This is what I love about battle royales." (Hmmmm. Sounds familier.)
Then, grenades fell in front of the team as they all exploded at the same time
"Barvo, Charlie, Delta. Elimination comfirmed. No losses."
"Roger. We'll check the nxt scan from here. Stand by far further instructions, but stay alert."
"What should we do about the pink girl, blue animal, and the big guy dashing down the highway?"
*Inside A Broken House*
"Man, what a run!" LLENN exhausted
"What do you mean? I'm not even exhausted from that run." Sonic said
"Well, we made it." M said
"Without getting shot." LLENN said
"Yeah." M said
"But I have a feeling they will find us." Sonic said
"Anyway, When's the next scan?" LLENN said
"It's about to start. Get ready." M said
The three of them took out their Satellite Scans. Once the countdown finish, the scan started.
"Eight teams were annihilated in the desert area." LLENN said
"That's the result of the teams fighting for the advantageous terrain in the central ruins." M said
"And we were there when that happened." Sonic said
"Anazing." LLENN said
"You mean the pro team's ability?" M said
"And your predictions." LLENN said
"It's reached the residential district." M said
"No one. Thank goodness!" LLENN happy that no one was around them
"The scan's complete. Fifteen teams have been annihilated. There are eight teams left. We're lucky." M said
"Damn it team." Sonic said
"M, who are our next opponents?" LLENN said
The three walk to the map.
"To start, the two teams in the foreat are close, but we'll ignore them. Neither side is giving in, so it's a standoff." M said
"They're both lying in wait to ambush the other, so they're waiting in vain." LLENN said
"I think we can count on this team to attack the forcest teams from behind. The team by the spaceship in the marshland has a tactical advantage, so unless something happens, they're gonna stay put." M said
"No matter what?" Sonic said
"Indeed." M said
"Hm."
"To be honest, I can't predict what the team in the desert or in the prairie will do. Especially the team near the ruins. They could enter the ruins, so why can't they set up camp there?" M said
"I was thinking the same thing."
"Anyway, we can ignore them until the next scan. The problem is..." M said
"You mean... those pros?" LLENN said
"There's no way we can beat them. No matter what!" Sonic said
"If their objective isn't to win, but to gain combat experience, it's unlikely they'll wait to sprint an ambush. I'm sure they'll come for us." M said
"They're tough, right? We can't beat them, right? Just like what Sonic said?" LLENN said
"Well... If things go our way, we may be able to beat them. But for that, we need the ability of the compact, quick-witted and agile LLENN and Sonic." M said
"You can count on me!" Sonic said
"Sure! I'm up for anything! Tell us the plan!" LLENN said
"All right. First..."
*Back With The Pro Players*
"They're a distance away. We'll need to move."
"Alert everyone. We'll move to the residential district in the next ten minutes. We'ce confirmed that only the desert pink munchkin, the big guy, and a blue hedgehog were on the highway."
*Back At The Residential District*
The players were searching for LLENN, M, and Sonic.
"Weapons haven't been confirmed."
The players hid behind a dumpster truck looking at the scan.
"Scan in 40 seconds."
"Halt. Stay alert."
After 40 seconds of the next scan, it started scanning.
"Scan starting."
Then, the scan picked up something, it was three players.
"TheyMre close! Due north! 80 meters!"
"I don't see them!"
"I don't have a visual either!"
"Not finding them. There's no vehicles in the intersection."
"Advance."
"Roger!"
The team started walking foward slowly.
"The scan doesn't give is the height."
"There's a high possibilitu they're down a manhole."
"Be careful."
They soon reach the destination.
"We're there. I donmy see any manholes in the intersection."
"None over here either. Facing northwest, on guard."
"No sign of the enemy."
"Facing northeast, on guard. No visible holes or enemies."
"Facing north, on guard. Likewise, no sign of the enemy."
"There wasn't an error in the scan, they were there?"
"A system error is extremely unlikey. List everything you see in the intersection."
"Cracked asphalt. A rusty bike on its side."
"A car tire laying flat on its side. Two fallen tree trunks. Two suitcases, one small and one big. An empty can. Actually, three of them."
"A shopping cart on the sidewalk. It's empty. No holes in the ground. I keep looking, but there's no trace of them."
One of them used a banaculer and looked around.
"Everyone! Shoot the suitcases!"
The two suitcases opened as Sonic and LLENN appered with their weapons. The two started firing at the players. The two shoot one of them in the head. Soon after, they started running towards the players.
"Right, at a 45 degree angle! Seven meters ahead!"
The players pointed their weapons at the two of them and started firing. But then, they both dodged the bullets by running super fast. They then fire at another player.
"If possible, use the enemy corpses as a shield."
The two continued running fast towards the remaining players. But they soon both hide behind the two bodies as they the players started firing at them.
"According to Squad Jam Rules, bodies remain in the field as "Immortal Obiects."
"She's too small! and he dodges them without moving!"
They both pointed their guns at the playrs and started firing. Bullets around the body and a bullet on the forehead.
"Why, you!"
The player started charging at LLENN. LLENN jump's over the player. The player tried to shoot LLENN from the air but she was fast. She then land's and run's toward's the player from behind. The player turn's around to shoot LLENN. Both Sonic and LLENN were behind and in front of the player.
"Are you two human?"
The two started shooting at the player. Soon after, the body fell down toward's the ground along with the other bodies. They both looked around to try to find other players.
"Yeah, you don't have to fire."
"Is it over?"
Sonic and LLENN soon started running away hyperspeed
"The are not normal human speed. It doesn't help us. And so, this training exercise is over."
The two remaining players resign from the tournament. Their bodies soon fell down at the ground.
*At The Real World*
LLENN friends were watching the whole fight from the livestream.
"All killed within moments!"
"Against real pros!"
"This is the famous..."
"I still can't believe it."
"The peraon with the avatar "LLENN"..."
They all looked and see a tall girl holding glasses of juice
"Is Ms. Karen!"
"Stop it. You're embarrassing me."
*Inside ALFheim*
Kirito, Asuna, Silica, Lizbeth, Sinon, Klein, Agil, Leafa, and Yui were watching the fight of Sonic. They were all cheering for Sonic after that fight.
"I didn't know Sonic was good with a sniper." Sinon said
"Well, that's Sonic for you." Kirito said
Sonic then logged in into ALFheim. As soon as he logged in, they all started cheering and clapping for Sonic.
"Thanks fort the support everyone." Sonic said
To...Be...Continue...