GAMERS! (ゲーマーズ！)

I've never quite been able to sympathize with a so-called ordinary protagonist

who longs for an ordinary life.

Misumi Eiichi and Inflation Battle

Three years ago...

When I came to, I'd been playing a puzzle game at the arcade, my memory missing.

I was wandering aimlessly through the city, when...

No!

Let me go!

I saved a girl who was being attacked by men in black.

With her parents' graces, I was adopted into her family,

and I began my life anew as Misumi Eiichi.

My basic needs were taken care of, but my life was not peaceful,

by any stretch of the imagination.

The mysterious organization going after my adoptive sister, Riki, and the glimpses

of my past, with which the organization seems to have been involved...

No... Stop! Stop!

My sister, who becomes strangely furious

You were talking to someone else again, weren't you?

when I talk about any other girl at school...

Forget it!

I recently joined the gaming club at my new school, where I endure arduous training.

Having become a participant in the Total Video Game Tournament,

also known as TVGT, I defeated my opponents with ease.

You've got a ways to go.

The ball is my friend!

It'll work out!

If I win this one, I'm in the finals.

I'm not letting that happen.

Your winning streak ends today.

Prepare yourself, Eiichi!

R-Riki!

Why?

You aren't with that Tendou Karen girl today, I see.

Yeah, Tendou-san is busy today.

Why do you care, Riki?

Wh-What does it matter?

I don't hold back in gaming competitions. Not even for you!

Bring it on.

You're going down, Eiichi!

I wonder if Tendou-san and Amano-kun are on the bus right about now.

I hope they're enjoying their trip.

Just to confirm, men and women will be sleeping in separate rooms during our trip.

We've been given our parents' blessings.

Even if it's for just one night, we must draw a clear line.

That means no flirting.

R-Right.

What?

Then why did we even come here?

It's a serious training camp for the Gamers Meet-up.

I get that, but...

We're going to be gaming the whole time?

That's so boring.

Th-That's not true.

I know.

It's totally going to be fun.

I'm a bit worried about this trip.

At least there's no way Hoshinomori will get left out on a group trip.

Plus she's enthusiastic about it.

Nothing to worry about.

Although, Tendou,

you seem pretty well-prepared for what you called a "serious training camp."

What are you talking about?

This is proper attire for a woman.

Hot!

Ow...

Come on, Amanocchi. It's not that hot, even for a bean sprout like you.

No, it's really hot right here.

See?

How dare you?!

Ahem.

Amano-kun, I heard you bought another obscure game.

Oh, yeah, I did.

I thought I'd found something awesome,

but I'd actually bought Elders Hunt by accident.

The game, Elders Hunt?

What's that?

Oh, that game that's famous for being really crappy.

Yeah.

And it turns out I can't even return it.

I wasted a ton of money.

That's unfortunate.

Aren't games kind of overpriced to begin with?

Gulp...

I mean, they do seem steep when you see the 6,000 yen price tag.

But there are tons of T-shirts that are more expensive, aren't there?

No, clothes are worth it.

They're daily necessities.

But games aren't actually useful for anything.

Isn't 6,000 kinda crazy?

No, no, no!

It's nonsense to talk about whether games are useful or not.

Going to the movies on a date, indulging in bowling games,

undressing Amano-kun with your eyes...

Would you dismiss all of that as being useless?

I'd immediately dismiss one of those last ones,

but movies and bowling are actually fun.

G-Gaming is fun, too!

Arghhhh!

There, there.

Your preferences aside, gaming is a kind of recreation, too.

So it's not a question of whether it's useful or not.

Besides, I sometimes want to stare at Tendou-san for hours, too.

Amano-kun...

I thought there was no flirting allowed.

Movie stories actually end in around two hours.

And bowling is exercise.

But games are, like, just a way to bleep-bloop your life away.

What do you mean, "bleep-bloop your life away"?

Yeah!

For modern humans such as ourselves,

living such barren lives, gaming is not a waste of time.

Hoshinomori-san!

Chiaki!

Gamers don't really look happy the whole time they're gaming, though.

Isn't it a pain in the butt to level up and stuff?

U-Um... Um...

G-Games are fun, leveling up included!

Really?

Amanocchi told me about how people pass out in the middle of a game.

Would that ever happen if leveling up were actually fun?

She's too astute!

What's fun about trying to stay awake grinding for experience points?

Oh, but there are techniques to multitask while you're leveling up!

Wow, you can do that?

Gamers must be really smart.

It's embarrassing when you put it that way.

But isn't that just admitting that leveling up is really boring?

Uh, this looks way too nice for student trips.

This looks amazing!

You go, Tendou-san!

I know!

So what are we doing now?

It's a Gamers Meet-up trip.

What else would we do?

Gaming, of course.

They come all the way out here to play games?

I'm stuffed.

So new games do start at around 6,000 yen.

What? Seriously?

This game's over 10,000 yen!

Let's see, it's bundled with concept art and a DLC for in-game use?

Uh, what's a "DLC" again?

It stands for "downloadable content."

In this case, you get access to character costumes online.

So you're paying real money for clothes that the characters wear in the game?

Are you serious?

I have no interest in those kinds of DLCs.

M-Me, neither.

You say that like you would buy other kinds, though.

I buy swimsuit costumes and stuff, of course.

Nothing, ma'am.

Earlier, you were like, "It makes no sense to compare games to T-shirts."

But if you're going to buy clothes for game characters,

wouldn't that money be better spent on your own clothes?

Game characters are kind of reflections of yourself.

It's fair to say it's the same thing as buying clothes in reality.

Yeah.

Really?

I'm still not sure about spending money on things that aren't actually useful.

They are useful!

Um...

Oh!

Okay, Aguri-san, what would you do if Uehara-kun bought you a ring?

What? Where did that come from?

I'd be really happy, obviously.

Then if you got the ring, would you equip it?

Or would you not?

Equip it?

You mean wear it?

Sure, I'd equip it.

Would your love for Uehara-kun grow as a result?

I-I guess, sure. I like gifts.

There.

At this point, you've accepted the concept of DLCs.

I see.

No, wait!

That's totally different!

Here's what it means: Uehara-kun would have bought

an item that increases attraction stats for a bishoujo character named Aguri-san...

using real money!

Don't say it like that!

It just sounds wrong when you say it like that!

I see.

If Tasuku were to somehow become a digital entity,

I might pay for so-called premium items to give him.

Wait up!

What do you mean, if I were to "somehow" become a digital entity?

Furthermore, if changing your avatar's outfit and equipment

were to cause digital Uehara-kun to turn red or become shy, what would you do?

Premium items, please! How much are they?

Stop!

You guys are seriously making some crazy assumptions!

Besides, Aguri...