Without clear answers, True headed back to the three trees and encountered Arthur on the way.
“Arthur!”
“…True.”
[True explains the situation]
“I see. I don’t know those guys, but Fei lost…”
Arthur thinks she has no idea, but in fact, Glenn and Fubuki fought her once and she beat them to a pulp, but she doesn’t remember any of it.
True explained everything to Arthur. Normally, they would have overwhelmed the opponents, but Fei was there, disrupting their dynamic.
“We want a rematch.”
“If Fei unleashes his full potential, those fools wouldn’t stand a chance. But that’s impossible for you. So, there’s only one answer.”
“…”
“You’re afraid of Fei, which makes it a negative. So, you have to make the opponents negative too.”
“Negative… negative.”
“Yes, negative.”
“I think I understand. Thank you! Arthur, I might have something. Any advice on being a good partner with Fei?”
“Fei’s partner? Definitely someone Blonde, older, good with a sword, and someone who can give him lettuce.”
“…Oh, right.”
“Yes. I get it. Now, go beat those idiots.”
(I don’t get it… Blonde? Silver-haired? Both Yuru-sensei and Arthur mention sword skills… Why only women? I don’t get it…)
(This might be a philosophical question only a psychologist could answer. I can’t solve this quickly.)
Shifting his focus, True recalled Arthur’s advice.
(I’m too focused on Fei… Why? The fear from that time… We’re negative together… If I make the opponents negative… then…)
Ultimately, True couldn’t fully grasp Yuru-sensei’s advice.
◆
Back at the three trees, True challenged the two once more on the same day.
“Challenging us again today, huh?”
“We’ll show you the difference in class again.”
Glen and Fubuki stood side by side. Fei and True, however, stood almost in a line, with True behind Fei, who stood with his arms crossed.
“Let’s begin. We’re ready.”
“Oh, really? Then we’ll go all out!”
“Let’s finish this quickly and efficiently.”
With True’s signal, Glen and Fubuki charged. But,
“──ッ”
Their feet stopped. Nobody did anything, but Fei’s aura alone halted them.
His eyes slightly widened, without drawing his sword, exuding an overwhelming presence. This alone froze them. Fei’s intense spirit was like a warlord who could conquer the world with his mind alone. This was a mere imitation.
At True’s suggestion, Fei added a bit of consciousness to what he usually did unconsciously. He couldn’t skillfully emit such killing intent,
but even this clumsy attempt produced great results.
(He’s really… incomprehensible. Even I feel a chill, and it’s not directed at me.)
True’s idea was simple. Make the opponents experience that fear. Create a mutual negative situation.
(A regular knight would be finished by now. How many of our peers could withstand this pressure?)
(His presence is terrifying… Thirteen seconds have already passed.)
With precise control over wind magic, True created a wind curtain to divide Glen and Fubuki.
First, it was Fei against Glen and Fubuki, but Fei’s aura stalled them, and True’s wind magic split the fight into Fei and True versus either Glen or Fubuki.
“…Let’s end this.”
Fei spoke, drawing his sword.
“Yeah.”
True also drew his sword.
(Damn it… This is impossible. They don’t understand each other. True just used a wind curtain to divide us. Such a technique is normally impossible, yet Fei’s pressure perfectly bought the time needed.)
Fubuki cursed in his mind.
(That guy, Fei, doesn’t aim for mutual understanding. He’s an individualist. True simply didn’t interfere.)
Glen has already realized his defeat and analyzes the situation. He was thinking about how to get stronger and how to make the most of this defeat. He was thinking about it.
(… Have they surpassed our mutual understanding in just a few hours? No, perhaps we should consider that they had already surpassed it… Fei alone can be defeated. His swordsmanship might be considerable, but his star magic element manipulation is terribly clumsy. However, he has something that more than makes up for it… I guess that guy who slightly understood that wins.)
Fubuki’s sword danced in the air. Seeing this, Glen threw away his sword, realizing that further combat was meaningless.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
◆
“Damn it, we lost! We’ve been defeated! Shit!”
“It seems our training was insufficient…”
As if their personalities had switched again, Glen became passionate while Fubuki turned refreshing.
“It was a complete defeat! We were overwhelmed!”
“No, we were on the edge too.”
“You don’t have to lie. We were utterly defeated, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry, it was prejudiced to think orphans were inferior!”
“I’ve learned another lesson. There are flowers that bloom anywhere.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve learned a lot too–“
As Glen, Fubuki, and True were talking, Fei left the place silently without engaging in idle chatter. He didn’t bask in the afterglow of victory or interfere unnecessarily, just quietly walked away.
The expressionless face seen as he left.
For him, that level of conflict might not have stirred any feelings.
The wind blows through. As the three watch his back, their hearts suddenly cool.
“Who is that guy? I thought he was just a small fry during the entrance exam.”
“…I don’t know either. No one probably understands his true nature. Maybe it’s something like an abyss that no one should understand…”
The three could only watch as his back grew distant. Through their exchange of fists, Glen, Fubuki, and True had slightly closed the distance between them.
But Fei, leaving without a word. Watching him move away from the three, True faintly sensed a distance that couldn’t be closed with anyone.
◆
The theory that True is my partner is gaining traction!! After all, victory through effort and friendship is the protagonist’s basics.
And then, as if to match that, the appearance of a mysterious duo… Could this be evidence supporting the theory?
And then, an unexpected battle! It’s cliché, but I like it, you know?
I could go all out and beat them up, or use the strategy of taking a hit and returning one, doing a “damage exchange”… but I feel like that would deviate from the purpose of this event.
“Hyaahaaa!! Not bad at all!! Making me say that! You’re something else!!”
Huh? What’s up? This blue guy suddenly seems to have changed personalities.
“I forgot to mention… Fubuki’s personality changes during battle. He becomes overbearing and acts irrationally, but well, it’s not a problem if I use him.”
No way, you definitely didn’t forget. You just wanted to use that “I forgot to mention…” line, didn’t you?
Still, some small fry might be surprised by that change, but I’m the protagonist. I’m not that shocked. At most, it’s like the surprise of finding a bunch of unknown bugs under a big rock in the schoolyard when I was in elementary school.
Well, well.
Let’s see what we’ve got here. True’s skills as a partner… Huh? This guy’s not doing anything? Is he a bot?
We lost so easily… What’s he doing? Is this really the guy rumored to be my partner? Maybe I overestimated him.
What? You want revenge? I was planning on that from the start.
I guess we have to lose once first, huh? I see, I see, you get it? It wouldn’t be interesting if we could coordinate perfectly from the first encounter, right?
Losing once and then defeating them, that’s an event fitting for an effort-type protagonist like me. So we couldn’t win from the start, and that’s why you were a bot?
Now, show me your true abilities.
True went somewhere. Is he gathering information? Meanwhile, I’m swinging my sword.
Oh, he’s back?
“Can you do that thing?”
“What thing?”
“…That killing intent-like thing you did in our duel long ago.”
“…Don’t know.”
“…I see. Unconscious, huh?”
Huh? Is this some kind of awakening foreshadowing that I’d like? So he is my partner after all?
“Can you direct killing intent at me?”
“…”
“—Stop that right now!!”
Hey, I just widened my eyes and tried to be intimidating, but he’s really freaked out. Intimidation, huh… It’s pretty plain. I’d prefer if he at least fainted.
“Use that to win.”
“…Alright.”
I don’t really get it, but when I intimidate as instructed, he’s seriously freaking out…
And we’re having a rematch today? That’s fast. Not that I mind.
In the rematch, that two-toned head is really scared. Plus, before I know it, True’s putting up something like a curtain.
Hmm, it’s pretty plain. But I guess protagonists who can use sword aura or ki are pretty common.
Well, I guess intimidation is the basics.
It’s normally exciting to gain something new! I’ll show Master Yururu next time!
Remember how excited we used to get as kids when we got a new toy? It brings back nostalgic feelings.
Maybe I’ll try it on Arthur too. I might be able to beat her now!! Let’s give that giant panda a run for his money!
That settles it, let’s get out of here. I’ll show you the power of a disciple who’s gained new strength.
Ah, in the end, I’m not sure if True is my partner or not. But I don’t think there can be double protagonists. True doesn’t stand out as much as I do. I think I’m number one.
Well, we’ll figure that out eventually. For now, let’s show Master Yururu my intimidation!
“Eeeek! F-Fei-kun, please stop, it’s scary!”
Yeah, I’ll refrain from doing it in the future. It’s a shame.
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