I'd also appreciate your support for the book edition.
Note: Due to the chapter advancement, several months have passed since the previous story.
"That's it! The Individual Battle champion is—Tenma Ootori!"
Almost the same moment Branca collapsed, the referee's voice announcing my victory echoed through the arena, and a massive roar of cheers erupted. In the VIP seats, alongside my own family, even Yoshitsune was celebrating. Well, Branca was unconscious so he wouldn't see it, but during the match, every time Yoshitsune cheered for me, his hatred had powered him up—so if he had witnessed that sight, he might have attacked me even though the match was already over.
I raised my hand to answer the crowd's cheers and quickly told the staff to take Branca away. That way, even if he came to, he wouldn't get to see Yoshitsune celebrating.
"Ootori Tenma, the pair final is in one hour—are you going to be all right?"
"I'll be fine."
In this tournament, even the pair that withdrew last time fought their way through, so I ended up making it to the finals in all three categories. I'd just finished the Individual Battle, one of the three, but since all three finals were held on the same day, I still had two more matches to go. Well, my partner for the pair was Grandpa, and he was fired up to vent last year's frustration, so I might be able to just provide rear support. And not to sound overconfident, but the opponents weren't that strong, so Grandpa alone should win easily.
"The problem is the Team Battle…"
The opponents in the Team Battle final… that would be the Royal Guard led by Din. The members were the five of them—Din, Jean, Edgar, Sigurd, and Chris—with no reserves. They were a familiar lineup to me, but when their participation was confirmed, there was a huge fuss about them being the most talked-about team of the tournament.
The victims of that high-profile team… especially their preliminary opponents, who ended up completely outclassed and were so demoralized you'd think they'd been traumatized. Well, the Royal Guard were handpicked knights among knights who already placed heavy emphasis on teamwork in person-to-person combat. Facing the top five among them with anything less than exceptional skill—especially for teams like adventurers who regularly fought Monsters—there was nothing they could have done.
As for our "Orasion" team, it was the usual members—me, Grandpa, Amur, Slarin, Shiromaru, and Solomon. In the semifinals, we faced the "Southern Select" led by Branca.
In our battle against Branca's group, Amur took damage and had to withdraw mid-match, but it wasn't a serious injury. He's fired up about getting his revenge on Chris in the finals.
Also, during the match, when Grandpa and Branca started brawling, the Southern commanders did the bizarre thing of abandoning the fight altogether to spectate their fistfight. But the audience was getting fired up about it too, so nobody really criticized them for it.
As for the brawl between the two of them—Branca threw a right straight, and Grandpa countered with a simultaneous strike, resulting in a double knockdown. However, unlike Grandpa, Branca was the leader of the "Southern Select," so his group was declared defeated on the spot.
And then, a little over an hour later.
"Grandpa, you were amazing out there."
"Hoh hoh! I was hoping for more of a challenge, but it was a pretty entertaining match. A bit more experience and you could become a regular in the upper brackets of the pair division."
The opponents Grandpa steamrolled in the final were a pair of young adventurers making their first finals appearance. The match was a complete blowout by—well, by Grandpa, but despite the one-sided result, Grandpa's evaluation was surprisingly high. In the pair final, Grandpa as the front-liner fought both opponents by himself, and I had basically nothing to do. Well, just standing around felt awkward, so I provided some cover every time the enemy rear-liner tried to cast magic—I think I did a decent amount of work. Though for Grandpa, it was pretty much meaningless support… but Grandpa was satisfied, and I was able to conserve my stamina, so the objective was fully achieved… probably.
"Alright, everyone from Orasion, the finals for the team battle will begin in one hour, so please prepare by then."
After the attendant left the waiting room, we immediately started planning our strategy. Well, when I say 'plan our strategy,' it mostly just meant deciding who would fight whom—the kind of thing Orasion would call a strategy... But before that,
"The members for the finals will be me, Grandpa, Amur, Shiromaru, and Slarin."
"Kyui?... Kyuoooo!"
Solomon made a sound that clearly meant, "I've been fighting in all the matches, why not me?!"
"Simply put, it's because Slarin is stronger. If Solomon goes out there, Din-san will almost certainly target him first."
Up until now, Solomon holding control of the skies had been a huge advantage, but that was also because our previous opponents didn't have a way to take him down. However, the Royal Guard has Din-san, who can drop Solomon in a single hit, and while Din-san is doing that, the rest of their team has enough strength to pin down the rest of us. Plus, while our individual strength might be higher, when it comes to teamwork... there's a gap so wide it's almost presumptuous to compare.
The pattern where we're most likely to lose is if Solomon gets taken out, reducing our numbers by one, and then I get surrounded by Din-san and Jan-san. The next most likely is if Solomon falls, Amur gets pinned down by Chris-san, Grandpa gets engaged by Edgar-san and Sigurd-san, and Jan-san takes Shiromaru as his opponent. Then, while I'm fighting Din-san, someone whose hands are free—Chris-san or Jan-san, or both—gets behind me... That scenario, however, is significantly less likely than the first because it's improbable that Shiromaru, let alone Amur, would be rendered combat-ineffective.
But what both scenarios have in common is Solomon being taken out, which I think is highly probable, so that's why we're making the swap. Actually, looking at combat power, Slarin is Orasion's third strongest, so it was weirder that she hadn't fought until now. Well, it was mostly Solomon being stubborn, and Slarin indulging him.
Solomon kept complaining quite stubbornly, but in the end, he was persuaded by Slarin and agreed to sit out.
"Next is who fights whom..."
"I'll beat up Chris!"
"So, Amur, you're with Chris-san. Got it. Shiromaru, you take Jan-san. Your first priority is to keep them from linking up with Din-san; you don't have to force an attack. Slarin... please aim for Edgar-san and, if possible, Sigurd-san as well. Grandpa, once Slarin engages one of them, take that opponent. If things look okay, then join me in targeting Din-san... That's the rough idea. Well, it's just a plan, and Din-san's group might read it and try to counter, so be adaptable."
We know each other's strengths, and we're top-class individually, but our coordination—especially in team battles—is what makes us the top team in this tournament. By adding Slarin, we boost our overall power, and she can also cover for us selfish types, including myself... Saying that makes me feel a bit hollow, but... there's no one in Orasion more considerate than Slarin, so in terms of having the right person for the job, there's no better candidate? Slar-didate?
After discussing the strategy to some extent, we each spent the remaining time until the match as we pleased. And then,
"The finals, Orasion versus the Royal Guard... begin!"
Almost as soon as the match started,
"Gyuu!"
Amur was sent flying. His opponent was Din-san.
Just as we feared, they'd read our strategy and countered it. However, Amur was blown back and took damage, but he managed to block the direct hit just barely, so he wasn't out of the fight. But in that moment, Din-san's team used their numerical advantage and went straight for their respective targets.
Chris went for Shiromaru, Edgar went for Gramps, and Sigurd cut in to block Slarin's path. Din and Jan charged straight at me. Their strategy was probably—
s
o
f
a
r
...must have been going well. Yes, up to this point.
"Wh—! Damn it! Slarin?!"
Jan, who had been charging toward me alongside Din, lost his balance and nearly toppled over just before hitting top speed. Slarin's tentacles were tangled around his legs.
"I thought I had you, but you saw right through me!"
Din swung his sword with a grin as he spoke, but—
"Unfortunately, we didn't see through anything. If anything, we were the ones who got outmaneuvered, and it had us sweating. Everything was thanks to Slarin... wasn't it!"
I clashed with Din several times, then forced some distance with a powerful blow, but—
"That's not really something to brag about."
Din wore an exasperated expression as he reset his stance as though nothing had happened.
"Slarin is my Familiar, so I think I'm well within my rights to be proud, you know!"
"That may be... but! Relying on your Familiars will get you laughed at!"
"By whom?!"
"The King! Lord Lyle! And Lady Luna... that's who!"
Hearing those three names, I understood immediately. The image of all three of them laughing floated through my mind, and I felt sick to my stomach.
"Then let's have the Captain of the Royal Guard—who just lost to the likes of me—take on that role instead... hyah!"
"Sorry, I'm stealing that!"
I figured it would end in a one-on-one with Din, but—
"Tch! It's really no good after all!"
Sigurd came slashing in from behind.
I thought Slarin was handling Sigurd, so I deflected his attack and sent him flying. When I glanced over toward Slarin—
"You've got one hell of a fighting style..."
Jean was swinging his greatsword with brute force, scattering pieces of Slarin's body everywhere.
"As troublesome up close as it is far away, Slarin is a tough opponent—but Slimes are Monsters with extremely low defense. Even Slarin is no exception."
Just as Din said, Slarin possessed defense far beyond a typical Slime, but it couldn't withstand Jean's onslaught. However—
"Guah!"
"Muha! Captain of the Royal Guard—taken down!"
Amule appeared from behind Jean, who had been facing Slarin.
Jean had noticed Amule's approach and was moving to intercept, but the instant his attention shifted to Amule, a fragment of Slarin's scattered body wrapped around his leg, pinning him in place. Left nearly defenseless, he took Amule's attack head-on and lost consciousness.
"So Jean's down... I suppose we have to consider this side's chances of victory all but gone now."
As Din said, Jean's withdrawal made the Royal Guard's defeat all but certain.
Amule, having taken down Jean, set her sights on Chris, who had just barely been parrying Shiromaru's attacks. Meanwhile Sigurd, who had been coming at me again, was captured by Slarin after it had gathered up its scattered body. And Edgar, who had been fighting Grandpa, was pinned to the ground, unable to move.
"Well then, Din—shall we settle this one-on-one?"
"Going out of your way to decide it in a one-on-one... you're kind, Tenma."
"Fine by me!"
"Hey! Watch it, Amour!"
"No, if things get dangerous, maybe I'll swap in with Grandpa!"
"Well, that's just how Team Battles work, isn't it? Can't really help that."
"Here we go!"
"Eat this — the Bonbon Roll!"
"Then, if things get dangerous, I won't hesitate to deploy Grandpa and Slarin."
"If Tenma calls out saying, 'I can't beat Din, so help me!', then I'll allow it."
"Heave-ho!"
"Ugh, seriously! If I weren't exhausted from Shiromaru, I could dodge attacks like that so easily!"
"You're so loud..."
"Well, it's not like we're the only ones fighting here..."
The back-and-forth between Amour and Chris had zapped a good chunk of Din's and my motivation, but since this was a Team Battle, the two of them were technically in the right. Besides, the crowd was going wild for their fight, so they couldn't be doing anything wrong. The ones in the wrong were me and Din, chatting away without a care in the middle of what was supposed to be a chaotic melee; Grandpa, sitting on top of Edgar and watching the spectacle; Slarin, still holding Sigurd captive while tending to Jan; and Shiromaru, sprawled out and yawning. The fact that half the participants were doing the wrong thing was pretty abnormal, but for some reason the crowd didn't seem to mind — if anything, they were getting more fired up. So maybe it was both abnormal and normal at the same time.
"Ah, well, there's no point worrying about it..."
"Secret technique: Cat's Cradle!"
"What the—! Cat's Cradle Counter!"
"Tenma, don't worry about them. I know it's hard to ignore, but think of this as part of our training too."
The two of them were spiraling out of control in every conceivable way, and my motivation had been so thoroughly drained I was about ready to give up entirely. But Din was right — I told myself this was all part of training, and decided to focus on our one-on-one duel.
"Let's go, Tenma!"
"I'm ready whenever you are!"
And just like that, my one-on-one battle with Din officially began.
Unlike our usual training, this being the tournament finals brought a unique tension and excitement — moves we never showed in practice, mistakes we'd never normally make, and fights where the slightest lapse could lead to a fatal error. And then,
"I yield. You win."
It was by a narrow margin, but defeating Din in an evenly matched sword fight made me genuinely happy… except,
"Just drop dead already, Chris!"
"Don't get cocky, Amour!"
If the two of them weren't still fighting behind us, I could have celebrated from the bottom of my heart…
"Referee, come here for a moment."
Din called the referee over and whispered something in their ear. The referee gave a slight nod. And then,
"The winner is—Orasion!"
Declaring Orasion's victory at a volume too low for the still-fighting pair to hear, he gestured toward me with his hand.
"Tenma, let's get out of here without those two noticing."
"Got it. By the way, what did you just tell the referee?"
On our way out of the Arena with everyone except Amour and Chris, I quietly asked Din what he'd said to the referee.
"Oh, I told the referee, 'Those two still want to keep fighting, so let them go at it as long as they want. Also, for the announcement, don't make it loud enough to interrupt them.'"
"I see… Din, you're really kind!"
"Right?"
I understood that leaving without being noticed was the best we could do to avoid interrupting the pair, who were brimming with the spirit of putting on a show for the audience.
"Total bastards, the captain and Tenma both…"
"The two who didn't notice are partly to blame as well, I suppose… but I won't deny we're being rather heartless about it."
Grandpa and the others seemed to accept it too, and without a single one of them calling out to Amour or Chris, they followed behind me and Din.
"Why did you leave without us?!"
"We demand an explanation!"
Apparently, after we left the Arena, Amour and Chris continued fighting for a while longer, and when they separated to reset, they realized they were the only ones left. Meanwhile, we had been summoned by the King, who demanded an explanation of what had happened, and we'd been chatting over light refreshments. Then the two of them showed up and cornered me, you see…
"Well, normally you'd notice without being told, wouldn't you?"
That one sentence left both of them speechless. And then,
"Besides, in a Team Battle, you're supposed to operate with the assumption that you could be attacked by anyone besides the person right in front of you. If you'd been attacked from behind in that state, you'd be dead, right? Amour might get away with just personal damage, but in Chris's case, in the worst scenario, the King could have been killed, you know?"
"W-What?!"
"If that had happened, at minimum, you'd be stripped of your noble title and reduced to slavery, and at worst, it's the death penalty. Well, I'd probably receive some form of punishment too, but demotion or house arrest at most."
"Wait! Even the Captain too?!"
Din was teasing Chris as well, but what he was saying was highly plausible, so even though Chris knew he was being made fun of, she couldn't muster a rebuttal. And on top of that,
"Chris… if you end up as a slave, I'll pick you up down south. And then… I'll work you to the bone!"
"That's absolutely impossible!"
Amour said that with a wicked grin, and Chris denied it vehemently—
"Well, that does seem like a reasonable outcome."
The King, who had been quietly listening (holding back his laughter) until then, suddenly sided with Amour.
"Y-Your Majesty… I mean, if I failed my duty due to personal negligence and put His Majesty in danger, I understand the death penalty or reduction to slavery, but in the case of slavery, it doesn't have to be at Amour's place—it could be at Tenma's, or… you know…"
Chris glanced my way while making that appeal, but
"That is absolutely out of the question. Becoming Tenma's slave would be nothing short of a reward. Besides, by regulation, anyone reduced to slavery for such reasons cannot be owned by someone close to them. Many people know of the friendship between Chris and Tenma, so that wouldn't work. The Southern Viscount family, on the other hand—while they are on good terms with Amour, they are far from the Royal Capital. Considering Chris's prior contributions, we can pass it off as entrusting ownership to Viscount Hana, who served as her partner in the tournament."
"That… can't…"
At the King's explanation, Chris's face crumpled in despair.
"If you don't want that, then during your original mission, you won't make a mistake like that again."
"Yes! I absolutely won't! I will absolutely not become Amour's slave!"
At Din's warning, Chris straightened her back and declared in a loud voice. Amour, who heard Chris's words, pulled a very bored-looking face, but since he didn't want to see an acquaintance be owned as a slave by another acquaintance, he really wanted Chris to be careful about various things.
After some time, it was announced that preparations for the award ceremony were complete, and we all headed to the venue together.
"Because of Amour and Chris, the schedule seems to have been delayed, huh."
"I'm sorry... I'll make sure to tell Chris properly. As the slave's owner!"
"I haven't become a slave!"
Chris reacted excessively to Amour's words, raising her voice in a shout... however,
"Chris, be quiet! As a Royal Guard, do you intend to show such an embarrassing sight!"
Since we were near the ceremony hall, she was scolded by Din.
"Amour, that joke isn't funny depending on the situation, so be careful about that."
Amour was also warned by Grandpa, though not as strongly as Chris.
"This award ceremony was more lively than usual, huh."
"To my knowledge, wasn't it the liveliest?"
"All of this is thanks to Amour and Chris."
"Boo!"
"Ugh... don't say that..."
Thanks to Amour and Chris battling until the very last moment, there was no time for the audience's excitement to cool down before transitioning to the award ceremony, resulting in a ceremony and closing event far more spirited than usual. During the ceremony, the audience repeatedly called out Amour and Chris's names, and cheers rose with each wave of Amour's hand. Throughout this, Chris kept her head down, looking embarrassed.
Then, one week after the tournament, at a party hosted by the royal family.
"Chris... just when you hit your prime, it's awfully sad how little luck you have with romance, huh."
"Indeed"
"That really is pitiable… Should we call for her even now?"
"Branca, that won't work. Chris volunteered for a mission outside the Royal Capital and left early this morning."
Although the Royal Knights' Chris had been granted permission to attend the party hosted by the royal family, the ceremony had apparently embarrassed her so deeply that she declined, saying she didn't want to be teased, and instead volunteered for a temporary assignment away from the capital. The other members of the Royal Knights were in attendance, however, and today Din was also off duty, so he had stepped away from the King's side and was eating and drinking with us.
Of all times, it was then that Chris—
"Tenma, there's another guy asking about Chris."
She had become popular with the men. Apparently the reasons ranged from how good she looked fighting Amour, to how cute she looked blushing at the ceremony. Several people had tried to approach her between the ceremony and the party, but Chris had mistaken their attention for teasing and had been running away from them.
"What a bunch of clueless idiots, so noisy."
While Chris was darting around, Amour had been watching the whole spectacle with amusement. But the attendees at this party apparently assumed that Amour was Chris's partner, and ever since the party started, people had been calling out to Amour every time she went to grab food or drinks. This situation—Chris being popular—clearly didn't sit well with Amour, and with each group that surrounded her, her mood grew fouler.
"Next time, I'll go get the food for her. Surely nobody has the nerve to surround me."
"Branca, your face is scary, so if you don't shine at times like this, you'll never get your chance—guh!"
Despite Branca making a self-deprecating remark just to ease the tension, Amour took out some of her frustration on him, and he ended up with a fist striking his head in front of everyone.
"Hm? It's gotten a bit noisy over there, hasn't it?"
"The King must be arriving… What's wrong? …Oh my. This is going to get interesting."
A Royal Knight approached Din, who had been chatting with me, and whispered something in his ear. Upon hearing the report, Din broke into an amused grin.
"Din, what happened?"
"Hmm. It is certainly something worth noting. When you smile like that, something troublesome has either happened or is about to happen."
"Well, I won't deny that… But regarding the details, His Majesty will be making an announcement shortly. If I were to tell you first, I think His Majesty would be rather put out."
My grandfather agreed with my suspicion, but Din refused to tell us, citing the King's feelings. Well, once he put it that way, I could easily picture the scene of the King sulking—followed by him grumbling nonstop and getting scolded by Lady Maria—so I decided not to press further and wait quietly for the King's announcement.
"Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Well then, allow us to join in as well… but first, I have an announcement. The 'Dawn Sword,' a regular at the tournament who did not participate this year, has been reported to have conquered Seigen's Dungeon."
It felt like the existence of tournament award winners was about to be completely overshadowed.
Regarding the delayed report for Volume 9, the release in the author’s hometown was two days later than usual, so my sense of timing was a bit off.
Because of that, I forgot to include the report in my last post. My apologies.