Chapter 1112 - Fan Service
—Now, having said that.
Even if I try to do something I'm not used to, like fan service, what I can actually do is truly limited. This isn't humility or lack of self-awareness; it's a pure fact.
I don't have the presence of someone like Ashe, who can make everyone submit without question, nor do I have the charisma of someone like Gossan, who can lead the masses with just his back.
I can't fascinate people with an ultimate way of life like Ui-san, nor can I inspire longing with unparalleled freedom like Lux.
...Well, it's natural when compared to those 'who stand at the peak' who immediately came to mind. However, even compared to other rank-holders, I am still shallow (new).
I am still undoubtedly the newest rank-holder, and I still, still, still have few 'cards' in my hand. I have a reputation for having many cards, but that is only within the very limited content of 'combat' and is just one of my strengths that cannot be applied elsewhere.
For example, like Irori, it's an impossible game to the extreme to excite people with smiles, behavior, and eloquence. Unfortunately, I haven't become that much of a 'celebrity' yet.
In short, the conclusion.
Even if I try to do something I'm not used to, like fan service, the only thing I... the current [Clown (Hoshikake)], can do is the one field I've shown so far.
If that's the case, naturally. Interaction with fans would be...
Come at me from anywhere. While acting like a big shot as much as I can, I have no choice but to leisurely spread my arms, smile, and boast that I (the great me) will be your opponent—
The rules are simple.
Everyone from the guests who wants to participate vs. me alone.
Plus, on my side: no weapons, no movement, no attacking, and all active skills are sealed.
Everyone... a total of nearly fifty volunteers. The victory condition for the [Clown]-slaying suicide squad, formed mostly of guys, is for even one person to land a single blow on me or move me (displace me) even a little.
The range of motion allowed to me—the 'circle' of restriction I drew myself before the start—was a few dozen centimeters, just enough to spread my legs slightly—and so, on that stage.
"""""ORAaaaAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"""""
"""""Execute him!! Execute him, aaahhh!!!"""""
"""""Long live the free-for-all!!!!!"""""
Let's dance with the rioters.
Blades dancing, blunt weapons dancing, the surging spirit and angry roars never-ending; a crowd of guys + a very few female warriors (powerhouses) shining their eyes and getting excited over a 'frolic (festival)' disguised as a purge.
While having my field of vision completely blocked every second by such a hellish scene that should be beloved by one who is sought after—five minutes since the start of the festival.
Swaying to and fro, handling all the playfulness with a face that I tried to keep as cool as possible...
Five minutes. —That is, after crossing the time limit I had initially declared, saying "I'll handle things lightly until then," I leisurely counted about five more seconds in my heart.
"..............................Now then."
"Ah."
While continuing to handle the rioters, I gave a slow blink that was likely a hair's breadth between blatant 'playing around' and composure. Simultaneously, while murmuring, I caught the blade of a scimitar approaching before my eyes with two fingers of one hand.
In an instant. Starting with the scimitar-wielding guy whose weapon, gripped with both hands, was imprisoned by two fingers and couldn't move an inch, the challengers who sensed that my aura had shifted—
"Well then, let's kick it up a gear."
Faster than they could sense danger. Without moving from that spot, I delivered a single stomp (blow). In short... Outer Force output 'Kai (Rotation),' 30% output, all-around dispersed release.
Thus,
"""""Wha—!?"""""
"""""Agh, buho!!?"""""
"""""Hoaaaaaaah!!?"""""
"""""He's not human!!!!!"""""
People flying, people dancing, people bouncing.
Using the pinnacle of the 'Outer' released with its power removed while maintaining its momentum. The remote vibration strike, transmitted from my foot to the ground and from the ground to the feet of everyone except me, lifted the bodies of the approaching melee fighters into the air without exception. The way they were launched varied depending on the weight of their respective equipment.
—Because it was varied, pleasant collisions chained together into a catastrophic mess of chaos.
In that case, it took a flat three seconds for the poor warriors to fall to the ground in a heap. The backs of the crowd that had filled my horizontal field of vision became lower... and what appeared was,
"Umu. A beautiful standard."
The rear guard. That is, the faces of the mages who, the moment the line of fire (sight) blocked by the crowd of rioters—the vanguard—opened up, released their meticulously prepared chants and layered their bombardment.
A rain of fire, arrows of lightning, pebbles of earth, spears of ice, blades of wind... the rich variety of magical projectiles were linked by attribute, and while ensuring exquisite intervals so as not to interfere with other attributes or others' magic, they synchronized their impact points for a single-point concentration. It was a quite impressive arrangement, not to be looked down upon as just 'general players.'
If that's the case,
"Then, heeee—"
It would be rude of me to hold back.
Outer Force output 'Kai (Rotation)' critical convergence—& Manifest World (Genzai) magical power mixed compression.
"—yaah!!"
Release. A sweeping palm. What burst forth was the color of blue.
The magical power dwelling within my 'Outer' self is the color of 'Water.' And the property that 'Water' attribute magical power acquires in the [Manifest World (Genzai)] is the concept of [Weight]. Therefore, the attribute-imbued 'Kai' possessed actual mass that could interfere with magic, and it raged (stormed).
As a result.
"""""Hoaaaaaah!!?!?"""""
To put it simply, it was like they all collided with a 'wall' at once. The countless spells, blocked by the hit detection before they could reach their target, shattered, crumpled... mixed with nearby ally projectiles, reached interference cancellation—and miserably, every single one of them vanished.
And so,
"............"
""""""""""............""""""""""
Gathering from below where they lay on the ground, and from the horizontal where they stood still, were stunned gazes. Filling the area was a silence of being put off, like "Ehh..." —not.
"""""—!!!"""""
A thunderous cheer from outside the field—or rather, high-pitched screams (cheers).
They came from the guests, mainly female players, who hadn't wished for a grand brawl. Well, well, I scratched my cheek, infinitely troubled by how to take this...
"............—Fine then..."
And,
"You popular clown..."
"Longing and jealousy coexist, don't they...!"
"Is it impressive just because he can fire shockwaves from his hands...?"
"I honestly think he's damn cool, though...???"
Or,
"I want to become like that soon, too..."
"Would it be okay if I devoted about five years to training...!"
"No, we haven't lost yet...!!"
Or, or—
"That's right, no defeat condition has been set for us...! Which means!!"
"Even if we!"
"Cry, as long as we don't submit until we make him cry!!"
"""""We can make that [Clown] bastard cry!!!"""""
...Or, or, or.
Rather, it seemed to have become fuel for that side, or a trigger for murmurs and shouts of terrifying self-encouragement—I wonder how serious they are—
Of course, I think it's a joke, right? It's a joke, I... think...
Oh, how scary. I wonder if it's my imagination that everyone's eyes look serious.
"............Ha, hah."
Very well, very well then, truly excellent.
At this moment, I am the person himself, the Eastern Camp's Rank 3, [Clown (Hoshikake)]. Looking back into the eyes of the crowd challenging me, there is unfortunately only one boast (word) I can return with my chest puffed out.
Well then, let's go, energetically.
"—Hey, what's wrong!! Come at me!!!"
"""""—!!!"""""
The best fan service I can manage, with all my heart and soul, until their hearts are content.
My idea of fan service is different.
(T/N: In the scene where he was flirting with Yura and imbued a 'pebble' with magical power, the power he imbued before imbuing 'Lightning' in his Haru-chan state was 'raw' magical power that had not been attribute-converted without using a fan, and was not 'Water.' In his Outer form, he can only use 'Water,' and in his Inner form, he can only use 'Lightning,' and he cannot use the attribute magical power of the opposite side, so please be aware. Looking at the comments, there seemed to be a certain number of people who might have misunderstood, so here is a note. But you say the characteristic of 'Water' this time is 'weight,' and Yura was surprised that it 'got heavy' during the flirtatious chat? Well, I wonder what that could be...)