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Chapter 11: Obstinance
THE rematch between the King of Ruin and the former Game Master began with a snap. The sharp smack of a finger-snap. Keiji Kuhara had snapped his fingers in a deliberate gesture, his expression hardening.
Observing this, Takuto realized that his opponent had seized the initiative and taken some form of action. A routine move? Is he visualizing himself rolling the dice with that finger-snap as the trigger…?
Allowing your opponent to take the first move carries a certain degree of risk. Takuto knew this well. Yet, Keiji had made such a grand, dramatic declaration in his bid to force this decisive duel with Takuto. He must’ve had an ace up his sleeve. Takuto’s plan was to verify exactly what that was, while never letting his guard down.
Keiji loudly snapped his fingers several more times.
Surprise flickered across Takuto’s face, then he clicked his tongue. “So that’s your angle…”
Ẁ еb ńӧ v е́l̊ Е̂nu m̊а
No System Messages appeared. Keiji was hiding his dice rolls.
Hiding dice rolls from other players at the table is a common technique in TRPGs. Players can hide their dice rolls and show the results only to the Game Master, although the other players will hear the dice being rolled. The GM then uses their discretion to adjudicate the outcome, adhering to the established campaign and rules. This technique is commonly known as a Secret Dice roll. While GMs often use this system to heighten the dramatic tension of a campaign, Keiji was utilizing it to gain a significant advantage for himself.
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“Aaah, I can’t let this continue,” Takuto murmured as he drew a sword from beneath the folds of his traveler’s cloak. In his hand he held the Regalia Sword, the Hero’s Sword, he’d received from Yu of the RPG faction.
Fulfilling one of the key conditions for achieving an Ascension Victory, this Regalia Sword also served as a potent piece of equipment capable of directly enhancing the combat capabilities of its wielder. Moreover, Takuto also possessed Ira’s God Authority. Each power was already an unparalleled force to be reckoned with on its own—together, they put Takuto on another level.
Keiji never stopped snapping his fingers. The rhythmic snaps followed one after the other in fast succession, each indicating a die roll.
Takuto shook his head, then drew his sword back in a wide, sweeping arc.
Еn̈ ů m̆ ă
“Remember you asked for this…”
“…!”
Faster than the blink of an eye, Takuto materialized directly before Keiji. He teleported? No. It only appeared that way due to the sheer, blinding speed of his dash. He’d closed the distance in an instant through nothing but raw running power. Accompanied by a roar that tore through the very air, he unleashed a single, glinting strike aimed with flawless precision at the nape of Keiji’s neck.
Not a soul present could react in time. Neither the Saints, nor the wicked forces of ruin…
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A truly divine feat. Such was the power Ira’s God Authority had bestowed upon Takuto.
But—
Ēn̈ů m ā
“I figured you’d pull a stunt like this!”
His opponent had been anticipating just such a move.
An odd, high-pitched sound unlike anything Takuto had ever heard rang out as his blade made contact with something. In the brief instant that sound vibrated against his eardrums, Takuto witnessed the very slash he’d unleashed transform into a kind of sharp force field that came hurtling right back at him.
“Guh!”
Crimson sprayed in a fount of blood that slammed down on the ground with an unceremonious splat. Takuto’s right arm had been completely shorn from the shoulder down. Blood gushed from the life-threatening wound, pulsing in time with his heartbeat.
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“King Takuto!” Atou screamed in time with the clang of the Regalia Sword hitting the ground some distance away from her king.
Keiji snapped his fingers to launch a follow-up attack, then took a crouched stance to deliver the finishing blow. “Ha!” he laughed. “You look pathetic— AUGH!”
The one sent tumbling across the ground with an explosive thud was none other than Keiji, the man with the upper hand. Takuto had landed a powerful kick to his solar plexus before he could deliver the killing blow.
“Nooo! Mr. Keiji!” Soalina cried. But everyone’s attention was fixed on Takuto.
Takuto’s right arm had been obliterated—that was an undeniable fact. Everyone had seen its destruction with their own eyes and believed that moment had marked the decisive end to the battle.
The sound of flesh rending, the wafting scent of fresh gore, and an overwhelming aura of death—
Ẽ ṅ ŭ mа. i d
Every bit of it was real.
Yet, Takuto remained utterly unfazed. As if it’d never happened. His shorn right arm, the waterfall of blood, and his torn clothes all appeared as they had at the start of the battle.
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Shock struck the Saints like lightning.
One thing was certain: it was no illusion. The deflected Regalia Sword still lay a distance away from Takuto. If not an illusion, then it had to be the work of a frighteningly powerful regenerative ability.
No, regeneration alone didn’t cover it. Physical regeneration didn’t restore one’s clothing to its original state as it did the flesh. What the King of Ruin had just used was more on the level of Rewind and Redo.
“You little shit! That hurt!” Keiji howled after landing where the kick had sent him flying.
Е̌n ů m̌ а
Just like Takuto, Keiji had also used some power to skirt a life-threatening blow. The slash Takuto had unleashed as his opening move, as well as the kick he’d delivered squarely to Keiji’s solar plexus in a lightning-fast counterattack, were both imbued with enough force to reduce an ordinary human to a lump of mangled flesh.
Takuto held absolutely nothing back. He had channeled the full might of Ira’s God Authority into his strikes, attacking with the explicit intent to kill.
Yet the reality was that Keiji was still alive and kicking. Sure, he was clutching his stomach, screeching about how much it hurt, but it should have done more than hurt—it should have killed.
In that fleeting exchange of blows, the two Players had demonstrated their respective supremacy with overwhelming force. The subordinates on both sides realized then and there that the conflict unfolding before them belonged to a realm they could not intrude upon.
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“Now that gave me a bit of a scare, but I’m glad you’re still alive. I would’ve been disappointed if you went down from a single kick.”
“Owwww…” Keiji moaned, then snorted. “Ha! You sure have a lot of bark left in you for a guy who just had his arm blown off! Should I blow off your left next?!”
Ё ṅūm ǎ
The spectators weren’t the only ones left surprised by their brief exchange of blows. Both combatants had experienced their own sense of shock and astonishment.
Did he stack a whole bunch of defensive actions on top of his Reflect? He’s lightning-fast at launching counterattacks, too. He must have his intuition, initiative, and other sensory stats buffed through the roof. Damn! He’s smart! Not knowing all the things he rolled for is seriously an unfair disadvantage! This is exactly why I didn’t want to go at it with Keiji! Takuto raged inside.
Losing his right arm right off the bat was a devastating and humiliating blow. He knew Keiji was laying a trap and had deliberately taken the bait, leaping in with the intent to crush him. So much for that. Keiji was far cleverer than Takuto had given him credit for. Not being able to see his opponent’s specific actions or abilities might actually make facing Keiji worse now than when he was fully exercising his GM Authority.
Rapidly analyzing his opponent’s combat potential, Takuto began to formulate his next move.
Meanwhile, Keiji was also cursing the fight with Takuto. Damn, that was close! I’d be dead if I didn’t land a critical Examine Enemy as my first move. And seriously, thank the gambling gods I stacked a mountain of Defense bonuses before coming to the fight! Speaking of which, I’ve got Reflect stacked too, right? How’d he get his damn arm back like he’d never lost it?! How’d he twist the rules this time?! Damn it, this is why I haaaaate dealing with this slippery bastard!
Forcing strength into his trembling legs, Keiji rose to his feet and started another round of finger-snaps. Unless he reapplied the extinguished buffs and bonuses, the next round would be fatal. But would he be given the window to do it again?
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Takuto spread both arms wide in a summoning gesture. Dark clouds materialized overhead, and thunder rumbled. Lightning bolts, massive enough to be mistaken for falling trees, rained down upon Keiji, striking with a precision that suggested they wouldn’t miss their mark.
“Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy frightening crap!”
Keiji let out a pathetic string of shrieked curses as he utilized his stacked Dodge buffs to evade the onslaught. Without pause, Takuto swept his hand through the air, and razor-sharp blades of ice appeared. They flew toward Keiji with the lethal speed and force of bolts fired from a ballista.
Keiji dodged them all, moving with the light, nimble steps of a dancer.
The converging lightning strikes and freezing projectiles possessed a lethal potency—a single misstep would spell instant doom. Yet, as Keiji continued to dodge as if guided by an unseen force, the specter of death remained nowhere in sight.
“A question for the system: are excessive dice rolls and the stacking of bonuses not considered inappropriate conduct within the context of Tabletop RPG gameplay?”
Ёn̂ùm á
Takuto clicked his tongue in annoyance when he received no response to his query. Asking was a longshot, but he figured it couldn’t hurt to try. The system had previously intervened only because inciting a Disciplinary Motion against the GM was a strictly exceptional situation. Under normal circumstances, such rulings fell entirely within the GM’s jurisdiction. With that in mind, he expected not to get a response this time.
“Lookin’ for GM intervention? Sorry pal, but he’s probably enjoying a nice vacation in Hawaii about now! All because you fired him!” Keiji taunted.
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“So, it’s a total free-for-all with no Arbiter to keep things in check? This is going to be a nightmare to deal with!”
As he dodged an incoming attack, Keiji whipped several iron stakes from his pockets and Threw them. They were nothing extraordinary, just simple iron rods sharpened at the tip, yet in the hands of a TRPG Player, they transformed into a lethal weapon.
“Take this! Distracting Strike! True Strike!”
The iron stakes flew toward Takuto’s brow with terrifying speed, tracing a trajectory so utterly impossible it seemed almost sentient.
Ё ń ů m̂ а̄. iď
But Takuto remained unshaken. Slowly, yet with absolute precision, he directed his open palm toward the stake.
A deafening roar erupted as an explosion tore through the air. Keiji’s iron stakes shattered into dust, no longer a threat.
“I was pretty good at FPS games too, you know.”
To accurately target and destroy an object flying along Distracting Strike’s trajectory would require incredible visual acuity and skill. Keiji was just about to lodge a complaint with Takuto for always being able to pull off these utterly insane moves when the Danger Sense reaction he’d kept in reserve flared to life.
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“Damn it!”
Pushing his Player buffs to their absolute limit, Keiji Dodged with a massive leap. He tumbled across the ground as the deafening roar still rang in his ears. He snapped his gaze back to Takuto and reached into his pockets again.
Е numа . і d
“Then why don’t you try this on for size, Takuto IRAAAAA?!”
What followed was another volley of iron stakes, but this time, the sheer number was insane. Launched in such volume that they seemed to blot out the very sky, this was the entire stockpile Keiji had painstakingly Crafted and frantically Stored. He was throwing every last stake into this single, all-or-nothing move.
Even Takuto, unflappable as he usually was, couldn’t help but let a complaint slip out at the sight of such utter absurdity. “Ugh. Where the heck were you keeping that many?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know? I’ll tell you if you live!”
Dealing with the downpour of iron stakes individually wasn’t an option. Any other opponent, and this would have spelled their demise. But Takuto didn’t panic. He directed his right hand toward the ground, then executed a swift, forceful motion, as if he were heaving something massive upward. Cued by that very movement, a colossal wall of ice surged up from the earth with terrifying speed.
The wall of ice was on a scale entirely different from a simple shield or blockade. The width, height, and depth were on par with a castle rampart.
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It was now down to a clash between the ultimate spear and the ultimate shield, unleashed by two rival Players. Which would prevail in this battle of contradictions?
The answer began to reveal itself amidst the painful barrage of shattering ice.
“Haha! Looks like I brought more ammunition to the fight!”
“Just ice can only do so much, after all.”
Keiji laughed, and Takuto conceded the point.
The wall of ice shattered violently with the iron stakes, breaking into shards that scattered in every direction. A massive breach opened in the icy rampart; it could no longer serve its defensive purpose.
Ẁ е̌ bn о̂ v̈е́ l Еnūm̃ а̄
Keiji charged toward Takuto, snapping his fingers to unleash his next move. Takuto swung his arm at the same time.
The clash of opposing forces rocked the scattered shards of ice and iron stakes, sending them rocketing toward their respective enemies, as if they’d remembered their true purpose.
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“Don’t go forgetting this is in play too!”
Pressing his advantage, Takuto raised his hand, and the thunder, which had fallen silent, roared back to life.
Surging toward Keiji came a barrage of ice shards and a storm of lightning.
Surging toward Takuto came a hailstorm of iron stakes.
Е ṅ_u m̆ȧ
Which attack would land first?
They struck simultaneously.
But the stakes were raised before the dust settled.
“Reflect! And True Strike for good measure!” Keiji roared as he threw himself directly into the superstorm Takuto had unleashed.
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In that fleeting instant, accompanied by that odd, sharp sound, every single attack flipped course, redirecting their deadly aim squarely at Takuto.
The distance between them was now a mere dozen or so paces.
E n̈ ú m̈а. і̃ ḋ
There was absolutely no time left to react.
At the end of this dizzying exchange of offense and defense, the attacks, imbued with the effects of True Strike, pierced deep into Takuto.
“I hereby Nullify the lightning, ice shard, and projectile attacks. No harm may befall a God.”
Unfortunately for Keiji, the person on the other end of his attack was the one who leads the evil forces of ruin, the King of Ruin himself, Takuto Ira.
“Fine, then I Nullify your Nullify! SUCK THAAAAAAAAAAAT!”
And standing against the King of Ruin was the man armed with unyielding resolve and determination: Keiji Kuhara, the Arbiter.
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The acuity and power of both combatants clashed violently, igniting the flames of their wills and convictions.
The defensive blaze unleashed by Takuto erupted in a massive BOOM, blowing everything away.
What the onlookers witnessed were two figures standing atop a colossal crater. Both unscathed. Takuto, thanks to the Nullification Fire granted by his God Authority. Keiji, thanks to the layers of Defense bonuses and Fire Resistance he had stacked using dice rolls in advance.
Neither had managed to land a decisive blow.
What the hell, Takuto Ira! Quit screwin’ with me! How the hell did none of that hit you?! I totally just Nullified your Nullify! Since when did you become a friggen’ GOD?! Stop pullin’ these bullshit invincibility settings out of your ass! Give a guy a fraction of a chance to win already! I’m dying over here! Keiji screamed internally.
Where the heck does he get off Nullifying my Nullify?! How’s that even possible? At this rate, we’re going to end up in an infinite nullification loop! Yuck. And just because there’s no GM present to make rulings, you’re taking way too many liberties with your interpretations! I stripped you of your damn Authority—so why are you still trying to drag me into this same old bullshit conceptual warfare?! Takuto cursed internally.
W̃e b̆n̆о v́е̄l̊ Ẽñú m̂ a
They hurled every insult imaginable at the other, albeit only in their minds. Each regarded the other as utterly nonsensical, while simultaneously believing that they themselves were merely doing their best to somehow keep pace with the other’s absurdity. Had Yu—the RPG Hero—been present, he would’ve buried his face in his hands, aghast at the sheer lawlessness of this battle where established rules were treated as if they didn’t exist.
Still, this was a battle unfolding in real time. The clash of their respective twisted interpretations of their abilities repelled all outsiders, sublimating into a supernatural conflict of the highest order. One could say that the genuine threat posed by the very existence of Players was manifesting right here.
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And both sides remained full of fighting spirit. Their battle was far from over.
Everyone watching thought as much, as did Takuto and Keiji.
But the end arrived abruptly.
“What the? Why?”
E nû mа. і́d̊
Before he could snap his fingers again, Keiji dropped to his knees as if his strings had been cut. He tried in vain to get back on his feet, but a dull ache and tremors spread through his limbs.
Is this another of Takuto Ira’s shady attacks? Keiji snapped his fingers to roll for Examine, and his expression soured with horror and dismay at the result.
“What the hell? This has to be some kinda bad joke! Whoever heard of Accumulated Fatigue as a freakin’ debuff?!”
Takuto clearly heard the two words that indicated the battle’s end. Everything has a weakness. Takuto understood this well, and throughout the battle, he’d been searching for the inherent flaws in Keiji’s abilities. He didn’t expect fatigue of all things to be it.
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“Fascinating. No matter how much you can boost your abilities by scum-rolling, it’s impossible to roll for a way out of a problem you never accounted for… It seems you lacked the necessary foresight for this battle, Keiji.”
Takuto was equally surprised by the outcome. While scum-rolling and stacking bonuses might appear to grant invincibility, there’s simply no way to counter a problem you don’t even know exists. Granted, given the fierce fight they had leading up to this stumbling block, the battle likely would’ve ended in Keiji’s favor if his opponent had been anyone other than Takuto.
Ӗnuḿа
“Damn it! Investigate! Examine Enemy! Rest!”
Keiji didn’t let that squash his will to fight. If anything, he seemed more keyed up than before. He snapped his fingers until the skin was raw, rolling the dice with every sharp smack. He was scum-rolling until he landed on an outcome that could overturn his predicament. But it was impossible to find a solution in such a short time. If it were possible, then he wouldn’t still be on his knees.
“Fatigue isn’t something you can cure with a single roll. It usually requires a long rest. Or, at the very least, the right items, skills, or stacking a day’s worth of slow and steady rolls.”
Even when confronted with this undeniable fact, Keiji’s spirit remained unbroken. This unyielding strength of will, this absolute resolve, was something the Keiji Kuhara of the past never possessed.
I won’t fail again. I won’t lose anything ever again.
Takuto could almost empathize with the emotion pouring off Keiji.
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“Don’t you dare look down on me, Takuto Ira! I can still beat you!”
Bravado. A desperate outburst, born of sheer anguish.
But everyone present understood the battle was not true and fully over yet.
It’s settled.
We won.
The enemy is powerless.
W̃ѐ.b̆ n̂ov е̃l̃ Е̂ n̂ù m̄ а̄
It is precisely in such moments that danger lurks.
Past experience had taught them all that bitter lesson, which was why they remained in a state of taut tension, knowing the conflict was far from over. They also recognized that this was the most critical moment in the entire struggle between the two factions. In one form or another, the very next move would determine the fate of this battle.
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Everyone braced themselves for that inevitability, but…
“No, our fight ends here. Let’s call it a draw.”
Just as the tension, wound to its absolute limit, seemed poised to snap, the words that rang out in the very next instant were, surprisingly, a declaration of ceasefire from Takuto.
Everyone was knocked off kilter, their expressions betraying their utter astonishment. Even Atou and Soalina, who had been poised to intervene to save their person, even if it meant sullying the honor of the duel, took a moment to process what had just occurred.
Еñ ǔ mа.
Looking a little tired, Takuto peered up at the sky before returning his attention to Keiji.
“…Huh? Why the hell would you do that? It doesn’t take a genius to see you won. What’s gotten into you? Some sick sense of pity?” Keiji asked, his voice and expression tinged with disgust. Perhaps he felt their duel had been insulted by calling it a draw.
But Takuto was reluctant to claim victory given the circumstances, and he mostly wanted to do whatever it took to avoid extended combat.
“Why, indeed? Whatever the answer, the fight is over. I’m tired,” Takuto said tersely.
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Keiji was even more confused by the slight annoyance and sulking attitude he sensed from Takuto. Saint Fenne came to his aid, having made her way to his side after the fight stopped.
“Perhaps he’s reached the limit of his ability’s usage for the fight? Instantaneous recovery of not only his wounds but also his attire would normally come at a high cost,” she reasoned.
Е̊ n̂ uḿа . іd
Keiji only understood half of what she said, but at least it was the half about his opponent reaching his limits, so it sufficed.
Echo appeared at his side next to further elaborate on Fenne’s explanation. “That’s not the whole picture, but things definitely would’ve gotten nasty if you guys kept going. He’s not lying about calling it a draw. This aberration guarantees it. You did it, buster! You protected this aberration’s existence!”
“Oooh, good?” Keiji let out a rather anticlimactic grunt as he was tended to by a worried yet delighted Soalina.
Even if he didn’t fully understand what was going on, the others did. The matter had been settled. He’d established his rank: they stood on equal footing. And with that, Keiji Kuhara’s quest for revenge was fulfilled.
Meanwhile, as Takuto watched Keiji being thoroughly manhandled by Echo, his hair ruffled vigorously, he sensed a presence at his side.
“K-King Takuto…”
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“I know. Sorry, Atou. I let you see me be less than perfect. The risk just wasn’t worth it. Any further and it would trigger unwanted consequences…” Takuto said, shuddering at the idea.
“Y-You d-didn’t trigger it, right? You’re still good?! Please, tell me you are!”
“Barely. I came a little too close for comfort.”
“O-Oh, K-King Takutoooo!”
Takuto had expected Atou to be disappointed in him, but it seemed she was far more concerned for his safety—and triggering a certain clown’s nasty trap for him—than anything else. In truth, he still had plenty of energy left in reserve. He’d been bluffing. It was also a small courtesy extended to Keiji.
Takuto’s ultimate objective remained establishing an alliance with the TRPG faction. Defeating Keiji at this point would have been nothing but a waste of effort. All the toil, without the spoils.
Е̊n u m̀ ӑ
Still, I came into this expecting things to unfold differently… Takuto thought, annoyed with the overall battle. Losing his right arm at the start had been a major misstep. Regenerating it, or rather, rejecting the very event of having been wounded, had drained a significant amount of his power.
Ira’s God Authority was an ability that allowed him to become the god his followers believed him to be. God can’t be harmed. God can’t shed blood. If such a thing were ever to happen, it was a mistake that must be righted.
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The scriptures really went overboard with the lore for the God Ira, to the point where he sounds like some overpowered anime protagonist, so I thought I’d be able to coast through this fight. But that turned out to be a deadly delusion on my part.
Ignoring the inexplicable urge he suddenly felt to see Vittorio, Takuto decided to accept this favorable outcome—for now, at least. After all, it was never a battle worth risking his life for. He certainly fought with every intention of killing Keiji. He had gone into the fight fully intending to eliminate everyone involved, Echo included, but given how things ultimately played out, he found this was a perfectly acceptable conclusion. Since both sides had successfully demonstrated their respective capabilities, this seemed like as good a place as any to call a truce.
All’s well that ends well, I suppose. Though just as I clean up one problem, another rears its ugly head.
The enigmatic nature of Echo remained a persistent threat and was his primary concern now. On the bright side, Keiji Kuhara’s sheer straightforwardness had actually worked to Takuto’s advantage. They had clashed just enough to clear the air and leave no lingering bad blood. Takuto felt confident that, provided he promised to facilitate Erakino’s resurrection, their negotiations would proceed without a hitch. And indeed, the TRPG faction’s reaction seemed to confirm that prediction.
Ě n ü m а́ . ĩ d
As for Echo, he’d have to put his concerns about her on the back burner. Takuto had issued a firm warning about future interference, and it appeared the entity in question was devoted to Keiji. At the very least, if he kept a tight leash on Keiji, Echo would likely refrain from causing any unnecessary trouble. That was the strategy Takuto had settled upon.
“Huh, it was a draw… I…actually did it.”
Meanwhile, Keiji was as satisfied as Takuto had predicted he’d be. His desire to defeat Takuto had been driven, above all else, by a strong need to finally put his past failure to rest.
Keiji’s objective had already shifted to resurrecting Erakino and fulfilling his dear companions’ dreams. To obsess over Takuto Ira any further, only to invite yet another tragic outcome, would be utterly self-defeating. On the contrary, Keiji viewed this situation as the absolute best possible result.
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“Hahaha! I see! I get it now! It was a draw! A total draw! I’m down for that! I can’t believe I actually got THE Takuto Ira to admit to a draw! Buahaha! Would you look at that? Turns out I’m not the lost cause everybody thought!”
Supported by Soalina as his body trembled with exhaustion, Keiji struggled to his feet. Then, with a beaming expression, one overflowing with such confidence and satisfaction his companions had never seen before, he addressed them.
Êńūmå.їď
“Soalina, Fenne. Did you see? See what happens when I go all out? Aaah, wait, don’t say it. I know, don’t let it go to my head, right? I know all right. I’m no better than a baby chick right out of the egg. A total noob who just took his first steps. BUT! Someday, I’m going to become a mighty eagle capable of soaring through the vast skies!”
“You said it, Mr. Keiji!” Soalina beamed at him.
“I have never seen someone more delighted to have their fight end in a draw,” Fenne drawled, shooting him a skeptical look from under her veil.
Echo stood a short distance away with her arms crossed, nodding along in satisfaction.
It was a scene imbued with an air of lightness and serenity, so much so that one might wonder if their violent battle had ever happened at all.
“I’m making progress! Are you watching me from heaven, Erakino?! I ain’t stopping until I bring you back to me!”
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Keiji thrust his fist high into the air. Soalina clapped, her smile bright. Fenne shook her head, exasperated with him, while Echo gave a big nod, her eyes closed.
It was a single page added to their unfolding story—a key moment symbolizing bidding farewell to the past and the dawn of a new future…
“Then let’s jump right into a meeting as soon as we get back to base. Congratulations, Keiji, your draw just won you a mountain of paperwork.”
Takuto ruthlessly revealed his true nature as the evil King of Ruin by interrupting their special moment with the mention of the wickedest thing known to man: admin work.
“Paper-what?” Keiji croaked.
Judging by the complete lack of such a reaction from the ladies gathered around him, it was abundantly clear that he was the only one who hadn’t caught on.
Е̃n̆ umа̀.і̌d̈
“I told you we would be teaming up to take on the Lawful Continent Alliance. Since our match ended in a draw, we’re of equal standing. We have no choice but to proceed exactly as I proposed at the start, right?”
“Awful-continental what? Is that like a continental breakfast?”
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A collective realization dawned upon both parties, yet no one could bring themselves to point it out. Keiji Kuhara had gotten completely caught up in the moment. They couldn’t help thinking, Is he the type who doesn’t think ahead at all?
“Actually, I wanted to discuss this earlier, but your goal is to resurrect Erakino now, right? If you don’t do something about the Succubus Army’s alliance, they’ll utterly crush any hopes you have of that. You understand that much, I hope?”
“N-Nah…well, sorta? I mean, I figured if I just beat the crap outta you and won, everything else would just sort itself out naturally. You are the strongest, after all.”
There was no denying that Echo’s interference had forced them into the duel. But it was Keiji who had gotten himself all hyped up and spouted exaggerated boasts all on his own.
E̊ ṅ ù m̊ а.
If this had merely been a duel to settle a personal score, it would have been understandable. But Keiji was behaving as if landing a single blow against Takuto and ending the match in a draw had magically solved all their problems and ushered in a rosy, trouble-free future.
It was only natural that others would be left feeling exasperated.
In fact, everyone present, save for Keiji himself, felt a distinct twinge of unease regarding his attitude.
Finally sensing that he was the center of attention, Keiji glanced nervously around, his voice cracking. “Wh-What’s that look for?”
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Takuto let out a long-suffering sigh. “They’re exasperated with you.”
“Are you mocking me?!”
Е n u m̂ а
“Th-That’s not true, Mr. Keiji! It’s not that, but, um…erm… It’s just not true!”
Soalina’s lame attempt to smooth things over fell on deaf ears as far as Keiji was concerned. He had matured just enough to realize, however vaguely, that she was merely trying to spare his feelings. He certainly couldn’t come up with any appropriate words to salvage the situation.
“What’s the big deal?! What’s so wrong with that?!” Keiji shouted, throwing a hissy-fit. That was his usual schtick. How he always reacted to unfavorable situations.
Takuto let out another loud sigh at the sight of him falling back on his old ways. He had deemed Keiji to be a formidable threat. Now, however, he felt a twinge of anxiety, wondering if he would feel the same with him as an ally. His reliability was questionable at best.
“I’m happy to have you on our side, Keiji. Let’s conquer the world together, okay?”
Misgivings aside, he had achieved his ultimate objective.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Takuto had secured a new ally, and with that, the strategic formation he had envisioned for their counterattack was finally complete.
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