I was getting worn out fighting against Horkeukamui, still not fully okay after the last three battles I went through. Even though I was getting worn out fighting him I realize that he wasn’t attacking me with all he got.
“He’s going easy on me!” I mumble that out after I block the kick he sent my way with my Sword. We slowly circled each other and I was getting tense, waiting for when he was going to attack again. I could feel sweat appearing on my forehead and my breathing getting a bit quicker.
“Well done. You truly are talented. It’s no wonder that you’ve been acknowledged by the Guild Master. To think that you could do this well. . . You pass, for now. Now, let us move on to the next trial. I shall press onward. . . Prepare yourself!” Horkeukamui quickly rushed toward me and jumped into the air to land a kick onto me. I quickly held my Sword in front of me to block it but that still didn't help me block the force of the attack.
“I knew it! You were going easy on me!” My teeth were being clenched tightly against each other as Horkeukamui kept his attacks coming. Even though I manage to block his attacks I wasn’t lucky all the time.
“Oomf! H-He’s fast!” I gasped out that after he landed a pretty hard hit on my side. Every time I tried to attack him, he landed a hit on me. I was forced into a defensive position as I tried to figure out how to attack him.
Horkeukamui’s expression and the trajectory of his attacks remain unchanged. Rather, his attack simply sped up. Horkeukamui kicks slice through the air, his punches relentlessly pummeling my body. Each of his strikes leaves a trace of blue light in their wake. They seem to give off an air of divinity.
“How delightful, fledgling hero! I am truly grateful for our meeting. My time spent here in this underground world, so far removed from the blessings of the land above, has not been in vain after all. I shall press you harder now, fledgling hero! We shall see if you can survive this! Haaah!” Horkeukamui started to glow on his leg and I could only grip my Sword tightly as I brace myself for his fast attacks.
Watching The Fight Between Masato And Horkeukamui From Above. . .
“Master, are you certain we should allow this to continue? Horkeukamui Silver Wolf appears not to be holding back for once.” Snow was standing next to an excited Claude as he watched the fierce battle between Masato and Horkeukamui continue.
“No matter! This fervor is of much greater importance! Such jubilant cries in the air! This frantic beating of our heart! Hahahaha! Marvelous! Truly marvelous! Nothing matches the thrill of a battle between strong fighters! This true testament to life substantiates our very existence! Spectating gladiators, we shall share with you this flame that burns within our heart! Burn with grace and brilliance! We will bestow fervor upon you, our gladiators!” The laurels that encircle Claude’s head begin to glow brightly, the light enveloping the area like a wedding veil. Those touched by it shout madly, faces overcome with wild fanaticism.
“Forget about the present or the passage of time! Lose yourselves in battle! Only the heat of combat can set our bodies and spirit aflame! We shall reward the strong with their every desire! Fight! Rejoice! Hahahaha!” Claude's expression was filled with excitement as he watched the fight between Masato and Horkeukamui grow even more intense.
Back With Masato And Horkeukamui. . .
“Impressive. I commend you for surviving. It is not your skill or strength that deserves praise, but the nature of your soul itself. Even when faced with certain defeat, there is still an unwavering light in your eye. You don’t allow yourself to get lost in the heat of battle, nor have you been afflicted by thoughts of resignation. Have I finally met the one? I have great expectations for you, fledgling hero. If you can live through this. . . you are the one.” The dazzling blows come to a halt. Horkeukamui’s wrists and legs Braces begin to glow even brighter. He stands as an incarnation of nature itself, like a majestic wall of ice towering above me. Horkeukamui begins to recite the invocation of the App to regain his original form.
“Role of the Hunter! Rule of the Glaciation! Engrave mine name of Horkeukamui unto thee. Glaciate, Gallant Guardian!” Bright lights surround the Braces on Horkeukamui wrists and legs, causing me to start preparing to recite my invocation so I could meet him head-on with my attack.
“Aspiring hero, show me how capable you truly are!” Horkeukamui quickly came toward me and I started to say my invocation too, causing my Sword to shine brightly as it powered up as well.
“Engrave mine name unto thee! Come forth. . . Boundless Tail!” Our attacks connect roughly, causing a blast of air to come from us. My hands were shaky after our attack connected but I didn’t let it show as I put distance between us again.
“Impressive. It appears you’ve landed a hit on me.” As he speaks, Horkeukamui relaxes his fighting stance. My attacks sliced through the cold air that threatened to freeze me solid, and now I see it. . . Though faint, the tip of my weapon distinctly left a mark on Horkeukamui loincloth. ‘Holy hell! I actually got a hit in! It's faint but it still counts!’
“My hand was steady. Though I kept my strength in check, I pulled no punches otherwise. You’ve broken through my wall of ice and survived my attacks. Your display of spirit during our battle was truly splendid. Be proud, fledgling hero. I haven’t seen it with my own eyes. I see a light worthy of a hero residing inside you. Your soul blazes a hero’s will. You are none other than the one I shall make my own hero one day. We meet at last. I’ve finally crossed paths with the master I am destined to. . .Hm?” Horkeukamui looked at me confused as I slowly shook my head at him, my expression filled with guilt.
“I’m sorry. . .” I didn’t know what else I could say to him so I just apologized, hoping that would satisfy him but I was unlucky as Horkeukamui kept pushing on with it.
“What do you mean?” Horkeukamui questioned me and I just lowered the Sword in my head as I avoided his eyes that were looking at me with emotions I didn’t want to figure out at the moment.
“I can’t become a hero. That’s not what I’m fighting for. I’m sorry, Kamuy.” At my words the expression on his face got sad and I couldn’t help but compare him to an upset dog at the moment, even his tail was drooping.
“Then why. . .? Why did you fight so hard if you are neither a berserker lusting for battle nor a hero devoting yourself to a cause? You’ve narrowly avoided death, been battered and beaten, and yet you still stand. For what purpose? Please, explain yourself.” Horkeukamui speaks with an earnest gaze. There is a hesitation in his expression that he has never shown before. However, I have no answer for him and I could only bite my lip hard in silence. . .
As I was doing this, I was starting to feel rather faint and my vision started to rapidly blurs. I couldn’t keep myself on my feet any longer and my vision grew dark. All the noise around me started to get all weird and far away from me. I could feel the Sword in my hand disappear from me as well.
“No! My hero! I mean. . .” I could hear Horkeukamui's concerned voice calling out to me but I couldn’t tell if he was near me or far away. I finally lose consciousness, and I could feel my body begin to slowly descend to the ground.
The last thing I could feel before I fully went unconscious was the warmth of someone's arms. I moved closer in the arms and finally drifted off. ‘So warm. . .’
After Masato Lost Conscious. . .
Horkeukamui hurries to Masaot's side and grabs his body in his arms as he falls. Horkeukamui looks at the unconscious face of Masato who looks slightly worn out and pale. He gave a small smile to Masato who snuggled closer in his arm with a slightly pleased expression on his unconscious face.
“ Horkeukamui, why have you stopped fighting?” As Horkeukamui adjusts Masato in his arms, Claude joins Horkeukamui in the ring with Masato's unconscious form. Beside him is his loyal servant, Snow.
“We ask again. Why do you lay down your arms, Kamuy Silver Wolf? This heated battle is not yet over.” Claude had a disappointed expression, not happy that the fighting between Horkeukamui and Masato stopped suddenly.
“Guild Master. . . I fought to test him as a hero. I have no reason to fight an opponent who claims not to be a hero. At least, not until I confirm the true intent of those words. . .” Horkeukamui looks at the peaceful face of Masato who is slowly breathing in his arms, smiling when he hears them mumble a few words to themselves with a smile.
“Perhaps. . . Yet you are a creature of the wild. Can you resist your natural instincts?” The laurels on Claude’s head begin to glow once again, rousing that one natural impulse all living creatures possess: The fighting instinct. That instinct provoked by the Guild Master is an irresistible force programmed deep into every life form. However. . .
“It’s futile, Guild Master. If you weren’t aware, allow me to inform you. The flames of fervor will never ignite within my heart. My Glaciation drains heat from any and all things, snuffing out fires as if they were doused with water. Therefore, my spirit is perpetually calm. I will never lose myself to fervor in the field of battle.” Horkeukamui lifts Masato's body in his arms again and turns to leave but stops to say something else to Claude who was watching him with a frown.
“Both this battle and this conversation are over. I take my leave to look after Masato.” Horkeukamui starts to walk away and Claude frown on his face increase as he watches him leave with Masato.
“You forfeit your match, then? You will drop from No. 9 to No. 10! Rankings are interchanged regardless of your record to date. That is the rule.” Claude has a smile on his face again as he says this and Horkeukamui stops for a moment before he continues to walk.
“No matter. Do as you wish. I do not seek glory for myself. I live only to serve my hero. Farewell.” At these words Horkeukamui disappears from the sight of Claude and Snow with an unconscious Masato in his arms, unaware of what just happened.
Back With Shiro, Shuichi, And Duo. . .
“Shuichi? You got quiet all of a sudden. Are you okay?” Shiro looked at Shuichi who suddenly got quiet for a while and Duo looked at him briefly before looking away again, still with the indifference expression on his face.
“Yeah, it’s nothing. I was just thinking that things must be settling down over there about now.” Shuichi looked at the time on his phone as he replied to Shiro, who also checked the time on his phone and raised his eyebrow in surprise at the time.
“It’s been an hour already? Your stories have all been so astonishing that I lost track of time.” Shuichi laughed at what Shiro said, rubbing behind his head with a pleased expression on his face.
“Hahaha, thank you. I appreciate that you were so engrossed, Shiro.” Shuichi was smiling wide at Shiro, who looked at his phone with a serious expression. His finger was hovering above the App icon.
“Please give me a minute, I’m going to quickly check up on Masato. I wonder how long it’s been. . .” Shiro said that to himself as he clicked on the App and clicked on Masato's contact.
“Hmm, I think it’s been 50 minutes since he left. So, probably about 10 minutes since my friend dropped him off. Yeah, it should be fine. I’m sure they’re killing time over there, too. Now let’s continue where we left off.” Shuichi put his hands in front of him with a smile but his eyes held a serious look in it.
“The merits of being in a guild, was it? They certainly do exist. After we obtained the Sacred Artifacts from the App, we started conducting various experiments right away. What I’m about to tell you is regarding one of those experiments and its startling results. First, we prepared an area enclosed on all sides, with only App users inside. This experiment was meant to test what would happen if we artificially created an imitation of the Battle Zone. I’ll start with the conclusion: Sacred Artifacts were able to be used without engaging in battle.” At what Shuichi said, Shiro's mouth dropped open in shock as he stared at him in surprise.
“What?! That means. . .!” Shuichi held up his hand, stopping Shiro from saying what he was currently thinking. Shiro closed his mouth reluctantly and waited for him to continue with what he was saying.
“But there are some conditions that must be met. First of all, it won’t activate if there’s only one person inside that space. Secondly, the power invoked is significantly weaker than the power used in battle. Thus, we decided to do some additional testing. We checked to see what would happen if more App users were inside the space. The results were minimal. The Sacred Artifacts were still weak, their power only slightly stronger than the original experiment. At this point, we began wondering about the Guild tab in the App. Guilds originally referred to labor unions in the Medieval era. They were organizations of individuals with common goals who banded together to become stronger as a group. Then what would happen if we put members of the same guild in that same space?” Shuichi paused for a moment, causing Shiro to frown, annoyed with how he was acting at the moment.
“What happened?” Shiro decided to play along with Shuichi, hoping it would make the process go faster. Shuichi ignored how annoyed Shiro currently looked and continue with what he was saying.
“The Sacred Artifacts. . . exhibited stronger effects. After conducting multiple tests, we learned that the strength and scope of the effects were proportional to the number and ratio of guild members.” Shiro nodded his head at what Shuichi said, agreeing with what he was suggesting about the effect of being in a guild.
“So the more guild members there were, and the greater the ratio to non-members, the stronger the effect. . .” Shiro was going to get lost in his thoughts, trying to understand more of the benefits of being in a guild but stopped when Shuichi tapped his finger in front of him.
“Stop there. I have a question for you. The underground Colosseum of the Ikebukuro Guild. . .” Before Shuichi could finish the question, Shiro nodded his head at him, understanding what he was going to ask of him.
“Is it correct to say that it’s a place optimized for the purpose of gathering guild members?” Shiro had a serious expression on his face, which got even more serious after Shuichi nodded his head with a smile on his face.
“You catch on quickly. I was right about you, Shiro. The more members there are in a guild, the stronger the guild becomes. Within the Colosseum, Sacred Artifacts are not fictional power. They have become a reality brought about by an App user majority. The Ikebukuro Guild is expanding with each passing day. They have powerful members among their ranks and are constantly growing stronger. Even so, these powers remain something like virtual reality, which only a few people can experience at once. Now, Shiro, it’s time for a different question. I want you to get to the bottom of this. Where does this all lead? What would be the end game for the guild? Hint one: The App is becoming more widespread in Tokyo every day. Hint two: Guilds are also aiming to expand. Hint three: Tokyo is a location that is enclosed on all sides. Ever since we were born, we've never had the freedom to leave Tokyo, have we?” At the last hint, Shiro's eyes grew wide in surprise at what Shuichi was suggesting was the end game for the App.
“Wait a minute, you’re saying that what this all leads to is. . .?” Shiro couldn’t finish his question as Shuichi just gave him a closed eye smile, while he nodded his head slowly toward Shiro.
“That’s exactly right, Shiro. The moment the number of App users within the cordoned off boundaries of Tokyo surpasses the number of non-users. . .The guild with the most users will seize it all. They will become the rulers of Tokyo. The power of Sacred Artifacts, which can control time, space, bodies, minds, and even natural disasters, will become a reality. This would grant users the power to force paranormal Rules upon the world like a god. Pretty epic, don’t you think? Doesn’t it excite your intellectual curiosity? A world where various mythologies collide in battles. Gods versus gods. That’s where we are right now. That’s Tokyo. And we possess Sacred Artifacts, vessels of power that are integral pieces in all of this. We’ve been provided with the ultimate stage upon which to put our lives and our collective wisdom on the line.” Shiro just stared sternly at the smiling Shuichi, not agreeing with what he was talking about.
“Yes, it’s as you say. And I might’ve felt the same way once. I wouldn’t say this to just anyone, but since it’s you. . . I’ve always wished to discover an unknown world. All along, I’ve been looking for someplace other than this, a world that’s anything but ordinary.” Shuichi let out a curious hum, as he looked at a suddenly somber Shiro.
“But now. . . I’ve been gifted with something very important by someone I’ve only known a short time.” Shiro suddenly smiled, as an image of Masato flash in his mind and all the negative feelings he had disappeared instantly.
Back With Masato. . .
I slowly open my eyes, feeling confused at where I currently was. The last thing I remember was fighting against Kamuy and then my vision getting blurry after pushing myself to my limit. ‘I must have been taken somewhere to rest. . .’
“Are you awake? I’m peeling apples at the present. Wait just a moment.” I turned my head toward the voice and felt a smile appear on my face, as I watched a serious Kamuy peel an apple. I slowly sat up in the bed I was in and looked around the room I was in.
“Where is this?” I was curious about the rather plain-looking room I was in. It seemed like a guest bedroom but at the same time, you could tell someone was staying in the room but not for a long time.
“You are inside the Ranker’s Room bestowed to me, Kamuy Horkeu. After our battle, my hero-- Uh, you, lost consciousness, so I brought you here.” I nod my head slowly at what he said but after a few minutes my eyes widen in panic and I look at Kamuy seriously.
“What time is it?! Did Shiro try to contact me?!” I tried to get my phone that was next to me on a small dresser. Before I could grab it, Kamuy stopped me and gave me a gentle, causing me to relax but not fully.
“Calm yourself. Look at the clock.” Kamuy pointed towards the clock that was in the room and I felt myself receive another shock, as the clock showed that only ten minutes had passed since I got here.
“Is the clock broken. . .?” I still couldn't believe that only ten minutes had passed, it felt like I was here way longer than what the clock is telling me. ‘This doesn’t seem right at all. Have ten minutes seriously only passed?’
“The clock is not broken. There is a perfectly good reason for this phenomenon. The Colosseum is brimming with fervor, making everyone forget about time itself in the heat of the moment. Here, that forgetfulness affects reality. The Colosseum has been abandoned by the flow of time. As long as you’re within this enclosed area, the passage of time holds no meaning.” I felt my mind get blown at the new information I just learned. The Colosseum is abandoned by the flow of time itself. That shouldn’t be possible, right?
“Are you still fatigued? As I mentioned before, it appears your body is still not accustomed to the discordance with your mind. Not much time has passed since we fought. You will recover after getting some sleep. The apples are ready. Open your mouth.” The pieces of apples are cleanly cut into rabbits. . . No, I notice that the ears are shorter. . . They’re probably supposed to be wolf shapes.
I could only embarrassedly open my mouth as Kamuy fed me an apple piece. I quickly held up my hands before he fed me more. “So, you were looking after me this whole time? And you even cut apples for me. I am really grateful for your kindness.” I slightly bow toward him, to show my appreciation for what he did for me.
“It would be better to bite into the whole apple, but Nomad taught me the importance of being considerate. That was when I became fully aware of how little I knew of humans. After all, I was merely observing how humans lived from afar. I have hoped to learn these things from you if I came to serve you, but. . .” It grew awkward as Kamuy stopped talking to me and I could only allow him to continue feeding me apples.
After all the apple slices were gone Kamuy looked at me with an even more serious expression and I could only shift in the bed as I tried not to look at him too long in his eyes.
“I wish to hear your answer to my earlier question once again. You have the spirit of a hero, and although still unrefined, you are more than capable of becoming one. I swear this upon the sacred sword in my care, which has watched over many heroes in the past. But why? Why do you not wish to become a hero? Is my loyalty insufficient? Am I not worthy of being the sheath for the weapon of heroism you would become?” Kamuy's expression grew upset and he was tightly clenching his hands into a fist. I turned myself in the bed, so I was fully facing him and I took his hands in my own.
“That’s not it. I just remembered something.” Kamuy looked at me, curious but he still had an upset expression on his face. “I’m here to save my friend. My hands are full just trying to accomplish that. I’m no hero.”
“Your friend? That’s the reason you step down from the path to becoming a hero, despite having the power to succeed?” Kamuy was frowning, not liking the reason why my answer but I continued on with what I wanted to say to him.
“Yeah. That’s why. . . I can’t become a hero.” Kamuy was quiet for a while and didn’t move either. After a while of this, he slowly took his hands out of mine and looked at the ground, his expression still upset.
“A foolish decision. Regardless of whether you desire it or not, you have the power equivalent to that of a hero. Heroics are all the more important in these turbulent times. This land faces conflicts the likes of which have never been witnessed. This is the world where angels and demons walk the same path, where killing machines and ancient rulers fight ruthlessly. It is inexcusable for someone as powerful as you to live an ordinary life under these circumstances.” Kamuy finally takes his gaze off the ground and looks towards me with a mournful expression.
“There was another one like you in the past. One who was destined to become a hero who chose instead to live an ordinary life. Those who possess power are elevated by those around them, you see, and before they can prepare themselves. . . They get tossed around by the rapids of the unfolding times until they are crushed by the pressure. Those destined to become heroes cannot diverge from their paths. I’ve watched over many heroes in my homeland, some of them much like you. One ended up betrayed by a friend who was blinded by greed. Another chose to isolate himself to keep his friends safe from the schemes of those who sought his power. He shouted false abuse at his friends and walked the path of solitude so that no one else would get hurt. All those I observed died alone in the end.” Kamuy had a look in his eyes that made it look like he wanted to cry and that made me feel upset as well.
“You must really love humans, huh?” I didn’t know what else to say but that. He loves humans so much that he wants to keep them from suffering terrible fates. Even though he means well I can’t become the hero he wants.
“Please. . . Say you’ll become a hero. No matter who else may leave you, I vow to stay by your side. Always. I vow my unending love to heal the insufferable pain of solitude.” Kamuy remains calm, but I notice a hint of sorrow deep within the silver wolf’s eyes.
“I realize I am being selfish. Ever since we met, I’ve pushed my selfish ideals upon you. I did not seek your understanding, instead acting only for my own benefit. I cannot bear it any longer. I cannot bear to idly watch a kind-hearted human like you die in despair. That is why. . .” I got out of the bed I was still in and grabbed Kamuy's hands again then look him straight in his eyes.
“I’m sorry. You really are kind. Even so. . .I can’t.” I gave him what I hoped was a normal smile but I feel like I failed, since seeing his sad expression couldn’t make me be able to smile my usual carefree one.
“I see. If that is your decision. . .Then go. Farewell, foolish one. I fear that cruel, bitter battles and lonely times await you.” Kamuy took his hands out of my grip and his expression grew unreadable again and I could only accept this, even though I felt really guilty about what I did.
“All I can do now is pray that your last moments will be filled with joy.”
“I really am sorry. Thank you for everything you’ve taught me.” Even though we were parting with each other in a negative light, I couldn’t help but show my respect towards him by bowing once again. Kamuy calls out my name in surprise but I only smile at him as I stop with the bow.
“Not everyone is meant to be a hero. . . I can simply search for another. But. . . what is this? Something hot burns within my chest. . . I’ve never felt such heat before. . .” Kamuy put a hand on his chest where his heart was located and for some reason, I could feel my ears growing hot at the way Kamuy was staring at me.
“Masato. . . Perhaps we will meet again someday.” Kamuy gave me a smile that caused my heart to jump all over the place. I felt like I had to leave here quickly or else I would do something that would embarrass me greatly. After saying goodbye to him once more I left the room.
“R-Right. So. How am I going to find Kengo?” I was in the hallway now and I felt lost, not knowing exactly where I had to go. I felt like I should have asked Kamuy but from how my heart was beating it was for the best.
As I was trying to figure out my next move, suddenly, I heard the sound of someone arguing from the other side of the corridor. I felt myself going closer to the voices arguing, realizing that one of the voices sounded familiar to me.
“That voice. . .!” I felt hope in my heart, as I moved a bit quicker toward the voice, hoping it was the person I was thinking it was.
“Hey, Kengo! You think you can just ignore me after finally coming out of your room?” As I turned a corner in the hallway I saw Kengo arguing with a red-haired male. He didn’t exactly have a shirt on, just a weird scarf wing thing that reached to the floor and a man-skirt. Even though I wasn’t that close I could notice that he had two different colored eyes.
“Leave me alone.” Kengo pushed the red-haired male out of his way, as he continued to walk down the hallway. The red-haired male kept following him, with a concerned look on his face as he looked at the pissed off Kengo.
“You’ve been weirder than usual lately. What happened to you?” Kengo didn’t respond to the red-haired male, even when he went in front of his path. “The silent treatment, huh? Some friend you are.”
“Yeah, that’s right. That’s the kind of guy I am. I’m fine, Pollux. Just leave me alone. I’m going to get my rank back as soon as possible. That’s all I care about.” Kengo pushed the male, who I just learned is called Pollux, out of his way and continued to walk away.
“Sigh. . . Now that you mention it, you were No.3 at one point, weren’t you? That was just beginner’s luck. Don’t you think you earned that rank with skill. What’s your hurry? There’s no need to rush to the top.” Pollux kept following after Kengo, whose expression kept getting even more pissed off the longer Pollux talked to him.
“There’s a reason I gotta hurry, all right?! Mind your own business!” Kengo turned toward Pollux with a harsh glare at him. Pollux glares back at him with an annoyed expression on his face.
“What?” The air got heavy between them and I was worried that a fight was going to start between them soon. Kengo's angry expression and glare disappear as he turns away from Pollux again.
“Nothing. . . Once I increase my rank and get more money, I’m outta this dump.” Kengo started to walk where I was and I quickly went out in the open so I could be in his line of sight.
“Kengo! I was looking everywhere for you!” Kengo's eyes widen for a second before it narrows into a glare as he stares at me hard. I match his glare with my own hard stare. Kengo then clicks his tongue as he looks away from me.
“There you are, Masato. I saw your match. Sheesh, you really are an idiot. Why would you willingly come to a place like this? You should’ve stayed at that academy for peace-loving fools with that other idiot. Psh, acting all buddy-buddy with one other. . .” I couldn’t help but feel like Kengo was acting this way on purpose and I just stare at him, hoping it would help me figure out what was happening to him.
“Is that how you really feel, Kengo?” I asked him that gently and Kengo just scoffs at me like I was stupid but I didn’t let that get to me at all. ‘I wonder if something has happened to him? He seems so stressed out at the moment.’
“Nothing’s changed since we talked in front of the station. There’s only one direction this can go. So let’s make things simple and settle it with a fight. If I win, you get outta my sight. Go back to school and never come back. It’s never gonna happen, but if you win. . . I’ll do any one thing you want.” Kengo gave me a cocky smirk as he looked at me with eyes that were itching for a fight.
“Anything. . .?” I know I was doing this for Shiro but Kengo was tempting me with that offer, he doesn’t know how normal people could take that meaning. ‘I am so worried about him. He seems so easy to take advantage of. . .’
“Yeah, anything. I never go back on my word. Then it’s decided. But unfortunately, I gain nothing from fighting you right now. I gotta keep moving up. Beating No. 9 ain’t gonna do any good for my track record. Claw your way up to where I am, at least. If you can’t do that much, you might as well give up.” With having said what he wanted to, Kengo pushed past me and kept on walking, not stopping even when I called out his name. I look at his back with a frown on my face.
“Hey. . . The way you talked back to him just now was pretty badass. I was watching your match, too. I can tell you’re still inexperienced, but you show promise. It was a good show. And I like that you’re going to settle this with a fight! That idiot won’t respond to my provocation anymore. Don’t worry! I’ll train you up until you're strong enough to beat him!” Pollux then got behind me and started to push me in a direction I didn’t know. I had a confused expression on my face as this was happening.
“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. The name’s Pollux. I’m the Ikebukuro No. 7.” Pollux introduces himself as he continued to push me in the direction he wants me to go and I couldn’t figure out if he was a polite person or just someone who went with his own pace.
“Un, nice to meet you, Pollux. I am Masato and as you know I am rank No. 9” I could only introduce myself to him as I was still being pushed somewhere else at the moment. As I was being pushed I spotted Bathym coming in our direction too.
“Hey, it’s me! No. 8! It’s been a while. Miss me?” Bathym greeted me cheerfully and I could only nod towards him, feeling grateful that Pollux stop pushing me once Bathym appeared in front of us.
“Hey, Bathym. Wait, do you two know each other?” Pollux, with his hands on my shoulder, looked at Bathym from behind my shoulder with a cheerful voice and Bathym just nodded at what Pollux just asked him.
“We sure do. We know each other veeery well. Don’t mind if I join in on this training plan of yours, do you? Actually, I just really want to get in the ring with Masato! Let’s give a spectacular performance, shall we? Whooo!” Bathym started to pull at me, while Pollux started to push me in a direction I still don’t know.
“This is getting interesting! Well then. . . Why don’t we start with about 100 battles in a row?” At what Pollux suggested I could feel myself growing pale. ‘I may not survive this time. I seriously may not survive!’
“This is too much. I’m definitely going to die this time!” Even as I cry this out to Pollux and Bathym, they just laugh at me and continue to take me somewhere, so that we could start fighting with each other.
