Chapter 622 - My Fave is Standing Next to My Fave
When you have a clear objective and a direction, time tends to fly by in the blink of an eye.
This wasn't limited to my new junior's training; I myself was in the midst of learning and growing in all sorts of ways, both in reality and in the virtual world. My plate was always full.
While helping Kanata, I was also honing my own skills and keeping an eye on my surroundings, causing the clock's hands to spin at breakneck speed. Before I knew it, a day had passed, then a week, and then—
"I... diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid... it!!!"
"That was a long-drawn-out celebration... but hey, congrats."
Ten days had passed since we started training, for a total of over fifty hours. In the end, Kanata made it through the '[Sword Saint]-Style Tag' without a single complaint.
His outstretched left hand firmly grasped my right, signaling the victory of the attacker.
—It's not a direct comparison, since my opponent wasn't the [Sword Saint] herself, but I have supposedly been granted a license of full mastery in this game of 'tag.'
What a full mastery of a training method even means is beyond me, but that's what Ui-san herself told me, so I can't argue. In terms of battle sense and instincts, I'm a far cry from her or Irori, but apparently, when it comes to 'reading people,' I'm a cut above them both.
In other words, specifically against an opponent I've faced many, many times, I'm better at 'tag' than either of them. The fact that Kanata caught me in ten days means his result is comparable to mine and Irori's, both of whom took about a week against Ui-san.
And of course, Kanata, having survived the infinite hell of tag—
"Just... a second, please. Right now, my emotions are...!"
"You're allowed to celebrate as much as you want, you know. Want me to do a 'banzai' cheer?"
"That's too embarrassing...!"
His stamina, which had been a point of concern, had also shown dramatic improvement in just ten days. It probably hadn't reached the 'doubled' amount I'd boasted about, but it was safe to say he'd developed some real grit, both physically and mentally.
At first, an hour of 'tag' would leave him completely wiped out, but now, even after five straight hours, he's still standing. He's breathing heavily, partly from the excitement, but at least he's no longer collapsing into an unmoving heap.
Building stamina in a virtual world is ultimately dependent on how well you can control your avatar using both intuition and conscious thought. Unlike the real world, if a person's talent and training method align perfectly, it's not impossible to achieve significant growth in a short period.
In other words, the [Sword Saint] is amazing.
To be honest, I think 'tag' is a great invention that will go down in Arcadia's history. It should probably be widely publicized as a required training regimen for all players—
"Anyway, congratulations again, but we can't just celebrate. The main event is less than a week away, so the real work starts now."
Also, Kanata-kun, you can let go of my right hand now.
"Yes! But—right now, I feel like I can do anything! I won't lose heart, so please, be even stricter with me!"
"The fact that you never lose heart, not even one millimeter, is actually a bit worrying... but hey, your enthusiasm is truly wonderful. I know that 'I can do anything' feeling all too well."
It's a feeling I know from my own past experiences, and I can say that it's correct. That training method dramatically improves one's stamina and, by extension, the precision of their avatar control. The Kanata of today should be on a fundamentally different level—a different vessel—than the Kanata of ten days ago.
He can now do things he couldn't before. I can even declare with certainty that this change isn't limited to just one or two things.
Also, Kanata-kun, it's about time you let go of my right hand. Do you like your senior that much?
"Alright then, let's move on to the next step. About tomorrow's training..."
"Yes!"
Well, it doesn't feel bad, so I'll let it be. More importantly, time is precious. It would be best to quickly explain the next training regimen so he can get a good night's sleep and be in top condition for tomorrow.
And so, the next step is—
"Kanata, you're not shy around new people or anything, are you?"
"...Huh?"
I think I'll call in an incredibly helpful assistant for a light warrior's training.
◇◆◇◆◇
And so, the following evening, we were back in the training room as usual.
"Right. And so, this is my partner and our helper for today, Sora-san."
"...Um, you seem incredibly surprised, but what exactly was the 'and so' for? Ah, um, my name is Sora. It's a pleasure to meet you."
I had summoned none other than my cute and wonderful partner.
Normally, for a girl with such a regular lifestyle, any time past nine P.M. would be her bedtime, but I asked her for the unreasonable favor of lending me her strength for a limited time.
Sora graciously accepted without a second thought, but the problem was her maid. I got an earful about how it wasn't respectable to be taking a young woman out late at night, and before I knew it, the favor had been logged as a 'debt' that I'm now terrified of repaying.
But that aside... Kanata-kun? What's wrong?
I was sure he said he wasn't shy, so why has he turned to stone?
"Hey. You okay?"
"........................Just a moment, please. Excuse me, I need to take a deep breath."
"Seriously...?"
"...?"
As if to say 'hold on, calm down,' he held out one hand while placing the other on his chest, taking a long, deep breath in and out. Time for a cooldown.
What is this?
Wait a second, Kanata is a guy. Could this be one of those situations where his heart was just pierced by the angel who suddenly appeared before him?
Even though Arcadia is said to have a higher female population compared to other games, the ratio is still skewed towards male players. This is even more true for hardcore combat classes.
Furthermore, a player like Sora, who is genuinely a beautiful girl in personality, voice, and aura, is undeniably rare, so it's only natural that she would attract the eyes and hearts of many.
Wait, he is a guy, right? His appearance is androgynous, kind of like Tetra's—he's got a pretty cute face, to be honest—but he uses 'ore' to refer to himself, so I should be safe assuming he's a guy, right?
—As I mulled this over, half-joking, Kanata finally unfroze. Then, for some reason, he took a step or two back.
He looked at us, who were both looking at him with confusion, and with a look of do-or-die resolve on his adorable face, he said.
"Could I get one picture, please...!!"
""...""
I looked at Sora-san, and she looked at me.
"Uh... of Sora?"
"No!!! Of the two of you, standing together...!!!!!"
His denial and correction came at lightning speed.
I had told Sora about Kanata beforehand. That he was enthusiastic, had guts, was friendly, and yet still a polite, good kid.
I'm sure she never imagined that the first thing he'd do upon meeting her would be to make a bizarre request for a photo with such strange energy. My partner shot me a look full of confusion, and I was ninety-nine percent sure I was making the exact same face.
Well, that's why I'd given her the prior information that he wasn't a bad kid...
"Uh, um... I-I don't mind, but..."
Though deeply perplexed, Sora-san agreed that a single screenshot was fine. In that case, I didn't have any particular reason to refuse either.
If some random player on the street suddenly asked me, "Can I get a picture?" that would be one thing, but I figured it was fine if it was a junior I'd already gotten to know.
"Thank you so much...!!!"
Kanata, who seemed profoundly moved for some reason, snapped a picture of us, and our meeting, which had been filled with a strange atmosphere, came to an equally strange end.
"I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry! My name is Kanata! I didn't even say hello back and asked for a picture! What was I even thiiiiiiiiiiinking—!!!"
"I-It's okay! Really, please don't worry about it!"
Seriously, what is this?
He's a HaruSora shipper, you didn't know?
If you admire the main character, isn't it only natural to also admire, to some degree, the partner who stands by his side and is so deeply trusted by him?