It's coming.
Ouch...
What's going on?
Quest 03 Roleplay
I thought I was going to die.
We cleared it,
but it's become routine for us to fight as a pair.
What?
At this rate, we won't experience the true joy of PSO2.
True joy?
Connecting with others through association.
Oh...
"The true joy of PSO2 is connecting with others through association."
Don't look!
The bonds between ARKS members makes them strong.
I see. I'll add that.
Sasaki-kun, why aren't the meeting documents ready yet?
Sorry. I had a career meeting with my teacher.
I don't need your excuses. Just hurry up and do it.
Okay. Sorry.
What's going on?
Vice President.
Go to the faculty office immediately.
And get this stamped.
Okay.
After that, give this key to the basketball team.
On the double.
Got it.
Tachibana-kun.
Once you're finished with that, could you help Sasaki-kun?
O-Okay.
S-Sorry for the inconvenience.
What? It's fine.
We finished all the jobs we were told to do.
I'm really sorry.
You don't need to keep apologizing.
Apologies are meaningless if you don't use them at the right time.
Right, Yu-chan?
What's Yu-chan?
What? Isn't your name Sasaki Yutaka?
That makes you Yu-chan.
That's not what I meant.
Are you the kind of guy who says that to his friends?
Since we're both tasked with grunt work,
I thought we could get to know each other.
Grunt work?
In any case, please don't say that.
Huh? Maybe I came on too strong.
Tachibana-kun.
I already finished my report.
I'll go print it out.
I see.
It seems you're even capable of doing student council work pretty well.
It's all odd jobs, though.
You just joined the student council the other day.
Whether it's odd jobs or anything else,
it's important to connect with others through association.
Connect with others through association?
Party play? Mr. Aloof?
He said, "Connecting with others through association
is the true joy of PSO2."
Even though he's SORO the Aloof Warrior?
I know, right?
He doesn't group with anyone himself.
It is how most people play, though.
Is that right?
Maybe it's just Mr. Aloof's next lesson for you.
I guess.
But he's the only one I know.
Then why don't we play together today?
You mean...
The meet is over.
I'm free.
Where's Kota?
You there!
I regret that I've allowed so much time to pass,
but, my friend,
let us depart on our eternal adventure.
Hey, wait.
What?
Is this you?
Yeah.
What, what, what? What's gotten into you?
What do you mean?
Your character is nothing like you.
What are you talking about?
I'm roleplaying.
Roleplaying?
Yeah.
In these kinds of games, you have to become your character.
And this is my character's personality.
What?
And why are you using your real name, anyway?
You'll get doxxed.
Doxxed?
As in, your real life will be exposed.
It means people will know your character is Tachibana Itsuki.
Hey, the regulars.
Regulars?
Koa, it's been a while.
We were worried you quit.
We've been waiting for you.
Long time, no see.
Let's heat things up together today.
Yeah.
While my soul was absent,
it was occupying a body in another world
where I was engaged in combat with powerful opponents
and companions who speak with their fists.
A karate tournament, huh?
You understood that?
How'd it go?
My chest was adorned with a white star.
You won.
And you won?
Hey, that's Itsuki-san.
What? You know who I am?
He always groups with Mr. Aloof.
I see.
Itsuki, are you Koa's friend?
Well, actually...
Itsuki and I are connected in the real world.
You're IRL friends.
Kota.
Yeah?
What are IRL friends?
It means we're friends "in real life."
Not just online, but regular friends.
Huh...
By the way, we've been plagued by a troll lately.
Ah, the despicable and accursed creatures of darkness.
I don't like him.
He got Last Samurai and Yumiko, too.
It was awful.
I won't play with him again.
You two should be careful.
I shall.
What do trolls do in-game?
They bother other players with their outrageous behavior.
Is that fun?
I'm not sure.
They must do it because they think it's fun.
I guess all kinds of people play.
Aren't these guys interesting, though?
They enjoy roleplaying by altering their speech patterns.
Yeah. It's like playing pretend.
I've never met them in real life, though.
As long as we're here, why don't we try some multi-party play with them?
Sure!
[Roleplay] The original meaning of the word is to undergo a simulated learning experience while playing a particular role. In online games, it means creating a backstory for the character you control and changing your appearance or the way you speak accordingly. It is also the origin of the term RPG (Roleplaying Game).
[Party Play] The act of two or more players joining together to create a "party" and going on adventures or battling together in online games. In PSO2, parties can be as large as four people, but multiple parties may fight on the same field with up to 12 people in "multi-party play."
Yumiko!
Nezumi!
There's one over there, too!
Leave it to me!
All right.
What?
Overconfidence is your greatest enemy.
So cool.
That was seriously fun.
It changed how I fight, too.
It felt like a completely different game from playing as a pair.
R-Really? That's great.
By the way,
could you pick up the samples we requested from the construction company?
Sure.
Tachibana-kun, before that,
could you put these posters up on the bulletin boards around school?
Got it.
I'm off to do some odd jobs.
Just how many bulletin boards does this school have?
I haven't made a dent in these posters.
I'll put these up.
What?
Don't you have something else to do?
Yu-chan.
I told you not to call me that.
Really? You'll really do it?
Y-Yeah...
Thanks, Yu-chan.
Sorry for making you come out here.
I'll go get them. You can wait in the break room.
Okay.
Now, where did I put those?
Did you finish assembling the pipes?
Yeah.
Then we can start installing them.
Yeah.
By the way, that guy Itsuki we grouped with yesterday...
He had some serious backbone.
Yeah.
I thought he only grouped with Mr. Aloof.
Who are they?
You won't have any energy if all you eat is vegetables.
Have some meat.
But it's organic.
What's that?
Hey, is your name OrgaCats because you eat organic food?
Yeah, didn't I tell you?
Actually, I find your name, Master Nezumi, more mysterious.
I'm Master Nezumi because I'm the boss.
Then you should translate "Nezumi" into English, too.
What? Master... Mouse, huh?
Nezumi sounds better.
I guess you're right.
All right!
Once we're finished with work, let's play some PSO2.
Sure.
Boss, you need to learn to fight already.
Shut up.
Thanks for waiting.
Here are the material samples.
I was playing with those guys?
What?
I'm back.
Everyone left?
Dear Itsuki-kun, Good work today. This was left over from the meeting, but you're welcome to have it. Your grunt work partner
Yu-chan...
What a nice guy.
So Nezumi and Cats are physical laborers, huh?
I was seriously surprised.
A lot of people create characters the exact opposite of their real personalities.
Really?
I want to play in a big group like we did yesterday.
Then let us approach some of the people wandering around here.
Sure.
SORO-san.
Ah, Itsuki.
Is this your friend?
My name is Koa.
Itsuki and I are connected in the real world.
It's a pleasure to meet you, SORO-dono.
It's nice to meet you.
It seems you're playing with others, as well.
Did you enjoy playing in a party?
Yeah.
Thanks to Koa, I made more friends.
And like you said, multi-party play is fun.
I see.
That's good.
I know. SORO-san, why don't you group up with us?
What?
You must get lonely always playing by yourself.
Indeed.
Abandoning your aloof ways and taking the main road is one way to go,
Mr. Forever Alone.
Don't call me forever alone!
Besides, I'm not lonely.
Now we've got three.
Should we add someone else?
I wouldn't mind giving you a hand.
We've got one empty spot. Why not?
Very well.
Now, let's get going.
What is that?
The dragonkin are here already.
Let's split up and deal with them.
Got it.
My friends!
I swear on my fists that we shall be victorious
in this battle!
Is he always like this?
Apparently.
Hey! You're not going to fight with us?
What? Grunts belong with grunts.
You guys deal with them.
Try not to bother me.
Is he not going to fight?
This is the guy the regulars mentioned.
He's the troll.
Musashi!
Heal Itsuki.
Musashi!
What? Heal yourself, you pest.
You've at least got Monomates, right?
Itsuki is a beginner.
He needs your support.
If he keeps relying on others, he'll be a beginner forever.
Now deal with them already, you oaf.
So this is a troll.
You...
What?
I can't believe you took so long to kill some grunts.
You half-wits.
Hey, you didn't do anything!
What?
You've got no right to talk when you're struggling
to deal with those enemies.
Hey, wait!
Hey, it's him.
Looks like he did it again.
What an idiot.
Yeah.
I'm pissed!
I should've listened more closely to the regulars.
Huh?
A friend request?
What? I don't believe it.
I'm blocking him.
No, wait!
What?
Through grouping up over the past few days,
I've realized there's a real flesh-and-blood person behind each character.
That's what makes trolls unforgivable.
But the same goes for Musashi.
We'll understand if we talk to him.
You're right.
I'm going to go talk to Musashi.
Hey, Musashi.
Wait up.
You're one of the pests from earlier.
What do you want?
Why do you troll other players?
What? Troll?
Is that what you came here to say?
Don't you know there are real people on the other side of the screen?
What?
You don't need to tell me that! That's obvious!
And I know who you are!
Want me to expose your identity? Huh?
I don't mind.
I found an IRL idiot.
This is why you'll always be tasked with grunt work.
I-Itsuki...
What's wrong?
Hey, Musashi.
What, pest?
Are you Yu-chan?
Yu-chan?
Wha... you... Yu-chan is...
Oh, sorry.
You're Sasaki Yutaka-kun.
What?
You completely exposed his identity.
Words are the mirror reflecting reality.
Sometimes they become a blade. How sad.
Now he's done it.
Did he troll the troll?
I feel kind of sorry for him now.
Who does that, though?
What?
So this is the reason Sasaki-kun's not here today.
I stopped by his room this morning, but he didn't even answer.
This isn't good.
If he stops coming to school,
it will hurt PSO2's image with the school.
You need to reconcile with him so he'll come to school.
That's an order.
What? What am I supposed to do?
You sowed the seeds. You deal with it.
But...
Yu-chan, open the door.
Shut up! Leave me alone!
Yu-chan.
What should I do?
Oh, right.
We're not just connected in real life.
Yu-chan.
Itsuki
I think of you as my friend.
Come on out.
Shut up.
PSO2 was the only place where I could be myself.
Yu-chan.
You wouldn't understand.
In real life, nothing I do ever goes right,
and no one ever acknowledges me.
But you...
I... I envied you!
At least let me do what I want in PSO2!
You can't!
There are people in real life and in PSO2, and they're connected.
You can't live life doing as you please.
Besides, if you run now, you won't belong anywhere in here or in reality.
So...
...come back.
Yu-chan!
I told you to stop calling me Yu-chan.
I've always been afraid of being disliked.
I always tried to be patient and never spoke back to anyone.
That's why I wanted to be my true self in PSO2.
But you're just acting tough.
It's not the real you.
What?
The real Yu-chan is a nice guy.
Tachibana-kun.
But I've been so mean to everyone.
It'll all work out. No big deal.
What?
I'm sorry
for everything!
Musashi feels bad about what he did, too.
Please forgive him.
Out of respect for Itsuki-kun, I forgive you.
I forgive you.
Hate the sin, not the sinner.
Don't do anything bad anymore.
Thank you!
See? If you do something bad, you just need to offer a sincere apology.
Yeah.
Now that that's settled,
let us join our souls as one and embark on a new adventure!
Hey, that's my character...
All right! I'll lead the van—
I'll defeat all our enemies!
You guys can sit there and twiddle your thumbs!
He doesn't seem to have changed much, but oh well.
Ouch.
I applaud you for reaping the seeds you sowed.
What?
President, why did you ask me to come here?
I read your report.
Sasaki-kun has returned to school, too.
Yeah.
I think Yu-chan and I will become good friends.
Why?
I realized that by getting to know him in real life and the game,
we can become better friends.
Um...
Yes?
There's something I wanted to tell you.
You know SORO, don't you?
Of course.
The truth is, I... I am...
I'm SORO!
A-Are you surprised?
No, I knew.
What? How?
"The seeds you sowed."
What?
And then there's "connecting with others through association."
You tend to use the same phrases, so it just clicked.
I-I...
"Now let's embark on an endless adventure!"
"Don't be afraid to fail. Be proud of who you are."
There was that, too.
What else was there?
H-Hey! Stop that!
"Run like the wind and dance like the flames."
"Whether friend or foe, sense your surroundings at all times."
You're not supposed to bring what happens in the game into real life!
Tachibana-kun, wait!
Next Episode
I'm glad everyone forgave me.
I told you it would work out.
Yeah, and I'm glad my vocabulary was within acceptable broadcast language.
Acceptable broadcast language?
Have you said even worse things?
Well,
normally I say **** or ****.
We censored those, right?
And that's not all.
I've even used **** and **** in an argument before.
Yu-chan, stop!