Chapter 402 - I Don't Think It Will Be So Easy
I currently had three stamps…… and in front of us was the fourth arena.
After getting a stamp from Epsilon-san, we had a quick bite at one of the stalls along the way, and arrived at the arena, which seemed a little smaller than the previous three.
However, it was quiet around here. It was so quiet that I almost forgot that we were in the middle of a festival…… I mean, it was also the case for the previous three arenas, but aren’t there any other challengers beside me? Are they simply too lazy to collect enough stamps, or do they think it’s silly to challenge the War King’s Five Generals……?
With those questions in mind, I walked into the arena…… and found another strange person in there.[……Hmm? Ahh, welcome. Could you excuse me for a bit? Please wait a minute for me to finish smoking.]
[Ah, yes.]
He had shaggy red hair that was faded like rust. A man in a shabby, wrinkled coat and stubble told me this as he puffed on his cigarette.
He somehow felt like a useless adult…… I mean, he doesn’t look like he has any ambition at all, you know? Is he really one of the War King’s Five Generals?
I’ve already met the rest of Megiddo-san’s subordinates before. Bacchus-san, Kong-san, Epsilon-san…… Then, Agni-san. The four of them had different atmospheres around them, but I could feel it…… How should I say this…… I could feel an aura of strength from around them.
He looks exactly like the kind of person you might find in a pachinko parlor on holiday. The type of person that would strangely make you feel like he’s unreliable.
Filled with a silence that would make you think that he was tired after a day’s work, the man finished his cigarette and put the butt in some kind of portable ashtray before turning to me.[Well, sorry for making you wait~~ Once again, welcome, Miyama-kun. Uncle’s name is “Ozma”. Well, it’s nice to meet you.]
[Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too.]
[Well~~ Even so, good work reaching here. It must have been tiring, walking from here to there, wasn’t it? Would you like a cup of coffee?]
[Ah, n- no, thank you.]
H- Hmmm. As I thought, he’s rather lax. He really seemed like a pleasant middle-aged uncle, and I didn’t feel intimidated at him at all.
[Can I see your stamp card?]
[Y- Yes……]
[Ohh! You’ve already collected three stamps? Well~~ Young people really are so energetic. Rather, uncle is going to be your fourth challenge huh? Good grief, why have you come here this late? You should have come to uncle’s arena first, since I’m “the weakest among the Five Generals”.]
[Eh? I- Is that so?]
[That’s right. In terms of strength, Epsilon-chan is second only to Agni-chan…… Well~~ If Miyama-kun was able to get through her, I guess you would be able to easily win against Uncle huh?]
Ozma-san was saying that he’s the weakest of the War King’s Five Generals, but his words didn’t sound like he was belittling himself, sounding like he was very at ease even if he was the weakest.
[……Well, there’s no point in just chattering here, is there? How about we get started? I take it that the girl over there is Miyama-kun’s proxy?]
[……No, ummm, if possible, “I’d like to challenge you”.]
[Master!? Y- You can’t! It’s dangerous!!! He may act like a sloppy, ambitionless trash, but he’s still one of the War King’s Five Generals!]
[……When youths these days are so straightforward about things like this, it honestly hurts Uncle’s feelings.]
When I told her that I want to challenge him myself, Anima panicked and hurriedly stopped me.
Of course, I think it’s pretty reckless of me too. But even so……
[Anima, until I reached here, I’ve always been asking my proxy to fight for me. Even though they’ve placed a handicap so that even I could have a chance to win……]
[……Master?]
[Megiddo-san didn’t ask me to fight myself, but the fact that he went to the trouble of thinking about handicaps like this…… I think he’s hoping that I would go try it out myself. So, I’d like to give it a shot…… so that in the end, I will be able to say with pride that I won……]
[That’s great, Uncle likes children like that.]
This is what I truly feel. If I were to leave everything to the proxies to reach Megiddo-san, I’m sure that I would regret it. Even though I was given the chance…… the chance to do my best.
That’s why, unnn. Let’s try to do our best for once…… Well, in the end, I don’t think they’d be able to attack me…… The fact that it was safe for me also gave me a push.
[H- However!? Mas……]
[Whoa, stop right there, young lady.]
[……Mhmm?]
[There are times when men are creatures like that. There are times where we’re stubborn, times when we want to keep appearances, and times when we would want to fight. On times like those, the people around him shouldn’t interfere, okay?]
[Guhh…… T- That is……]
[In a situation like this, a good woman wouldn’t say anything unnecessary and give him a push instead……]
When Ozma-san told her in a calm but strong tone, Anima fell silent without saying anything more.
While Anima kept her silence, I looked back at her with a smile and squeezed one of her hands.
[Well, that’s why…… I know I’m unreliable, but I will still give it a shot.]
[……Yes. Master, do your best!]
[Unnn.]
With her strong words of support behind me, I walked up to Ozma-san and faced him.
Ozma’s expression was still as lax as ever, but there seemed to be a slightly stronger light in his eyes.
[……Well then, let’s go over the rules. Uncle couldn’t attack Miyama-kun, nor am I allowed to use magic. I’m also prohibited from using one arm and one leg…… Then, there’s also movement restrictions. Let’s see…… How about me being unable to get out of this circle?]
Saying that, Ozma-san draws a small circle with a radius of about two meters on the ground and asks me if I’m fine with it.
[……It’s fine with me.]
[Then, my movement speed…… I won’t move at a speed Miyama-kun can’t react to. Well, that’s about it.]
Ozma-san then showed me that he was moving as I was while he leisurely walked on one foot. It seemed pretty slow, but I guess he looked confident enough to handle me huh?
I nodded and told him that the conditions were too favorable for me to have any problem with it.
[Miyama-kun’s only victory condition is to touch Uncle with even a finger…… The time limit, hmmm. I guess I’ll give you about an hour.]
[Yes!]
[Alright. Let’s get started then…… Uncle is weak, so take it easy on me~~]
[I’ll do my best!]
[Aryarya, young people really are energetic, aren’t they? Uncle feels dazzled.]
After closing my eyes and catching my breath, I ran towards Ozma-san, who was smiling at me in the center of the circle.
Dear Mom, Dad————- When I met Ozma-san, I decided to challenge him without having a proxy. The conditions were very favorable for me, but my opponent was still one of the War King’s Five Generals————- I don’t think it will be so easy.
[Fumu, Kaito-san’s opponent is the “Peaceful Sky”, Ozma-san huh……]
[Is he strong?]
[Hmmm. If he fights seriously, “he is even stronger than Agni-san”, the Head of the War King’s Five Generals…… but he’s the type of guy who goes easy on his opponents according to their strength. I think Kaito-san has a good chance of winning.]
[……Fumu.]
There were two shadows high above the arena, overlooking the people below and they were quietly conversing with each other.
As they looked at each other, they saw Kaito challenging Ozma.
[……Well, as for Ozma-san, it would depend on if Kaito-san does his best…… The real problem would be after that. Agni-san doesn’t have the kind of personality to go easy on someone, so the only person who can win against her would be Kaito-san’s proxy…… I guess someone like that God. Well~~ I wonder what Kaito-san will do about it?]
[Freaking shameless, this is the reason why I’m here, right?]
[……Are you okay with a blank?]
[Now then, I guess I’ll just have to adjust in a real fight huh……]
[If you’re not confident, we can always stop, you know?]
[……Leave talking bullsh*t to when you’re sleeping.]
[Fufufu, then, I’ll be leaving him in your care…… Partner.]
Exchanging words with ease, as if they had known each other for a long time, the two shadows disappeared from the area.
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