Shangri-La Frontier — Chapter 98

Sunraku taking a break from Shangri-La Frontier to dive into another trash game feels like a breath of fresh air, and Chapter 98 leans fully into that chaotic palate cleanser energy. After the heavy emotional weight of the Lycagon Shadow trial, the curse transformation, and Rei pushing herself to the limit against Wethermon, seeing Sunraku and Oicazzo log into United Rounds together is a reminder of who they are at their core. They are not just top-tier SLF contenders, they are shitty-game hunters first, and their chemistry shines brightest when they are laughing through broken mechanics instead of calculating raid strategies. The plot progression here is deliberately sideways, which is exactly the point. United Rounds is introduced as a mecha-piloting mess, clunky, unbalanced, and utterly charming in its jank. Watching Sunraku adapt his hyper-reflexive, glass-cannon instincts to a cockpit instead of a rabbit avatar is both hilarious and impressive, showing how transferable his trash-game literacy really is. Oicazzo plays the perfect straight man and hype man at once, turning what could have been filler into a showcase of their brotherly rivalry and mutual respect. The real hook is the arrival of Silvia Goldberg. Her presence instantly raises the stakes from casual side quest to something much bigger. She carries that effortless pro-gamer aura, confident, analytical, and clearly operating on a different level even in an unfamiliar title. The dynamic shifts from goofing around to quiet tension, as both boys realize they are being watched and evaluated. Emotionally, this chapter is about decompression and identity. Stripped of curses, legendary armor, and Vorpal politics, Sunraku is just Rakuro having fun again. The art sells that joy beautifully, with expressive cockpit reactions contrasting against the heavy, industrial detail of the United Rounds mechs. It is scrappy, loud, and full of personality, a love letter to why these guys fell in love with bad games in the first place.