Chapter 715 - Backstage
"—Whoa… Uni's really leveled up his PvP game again, hasn't he?"
"He's been training nonstop ever since his last loss."
In the lounge where those who had finished their roles gathered. As the room grew livelier with each completed match, the leader of the Eastern Faction and the figurehead of the Southern Faction exchanged words.
In response to Goldow's honest admiration, Iris remained as expressionless as usual… yet she couldn't quite hide an air of pride.
"He said he wants to get back at Haru, and that he's dead set on getting revenge on [Peerless]—…wait, that might have been a secret. Please pretend you didn't hear that."
Ever since the tension that had bound her had loosened, she had started showing these unguarded moments more often. Beside her, her friend, who was nothing like her in either appearance or personality, laughed.
He too, ever since some time ago, had let go of his worries and now laughed freely.
"Payback aside, he's already handed Irori more than enough losses, hasn't he?"
"The present is more important than the past. When it comes to competition, that's just how boys are, isn't it?"
"I wonder about that. Boys are complicated in their own ways, you know?"
"—Well, when it comes to him, that's exactly right."
And so, an additional voice came from behind the two. Auerin, who had joined the room after the previous match, sat down next to Goldow, joining the conversation.
"He said something like, 'You need to get used to that transformed body, right? I'll help you out.' That bastard. He used me, in my unfamiliar body, as a punching bag over and over again."
"—He did the same thing to me! He said, 'It's your first time in the Four Pillar War, so you need to make some adjustments, right? I'll help you out,' and just used me as he pleased."
Natsume piggybacked on her senior's comment, settling down on the other side, next to Iris, and fearlessly airing her grievances about her great senior.
And then, both at the same time.
""He's definitely the most competitive person in our faction.""
They let out their shared assessment of the boy who always wore a lighthearted attitude and a carefree smile with a sigh. At her faction-mates' words, Iris let a faint smile slip out.
"More so than me, I wonder?"
When she posed the playful question, the two looked at each other, and…
"—Well, if you include the 'boy' part, I guess Uni gets the win?"
The reply came not from them, but from even further behind. A figure in 'black' sat down next to Auerin, filling another seat on the long sofa set up in front of the screen.
"—From the outside, you'd never see him that way, would you?"
"Khakha! You're one to talk, in more ways than one."
"Seriously. Your image has changed way too much recently, Tetra."
"The influence of your junior is immense, isn't it… oh, was it 'senior'?"
And another figure in 'black' didn't take a seat, but leaned against the back of the sofa behind Goldow—and next to the boy who coolly brushed off the teasing words of the three men, a knight in armor clanked into place.
"Speaking of which, Natsume's image has changed a bit recently, too."
"Stop it, Aika. I'll tie you up."
"I thought she was a cute little kitten, but her admiration for her 'mama cat' is stronger than I thought—"
"I told you to stop!"
Leaving the armored figure who had started playing with the 'kitten' who had jumped off the sofa, the gazes of those watching the screen with relaxed expressions were fixed ahead.
From within the video, four figures disappeared—
"—Yo. Good work, guys."
"…………"
Two new presences joined the room, a voice and a silence added to the circle.
"Hey. Good work, Genkotsu, Tora."
As Goldow led the chorus of praise, the [Twin Fists] nodded silently, showing little emotion as usual. The [Great Tiger], however, wore a complex expression of frustration, satisfaction, and relief, and…
"Haaah… Lost, totally lost—I'll win next time."
He declared with his usual refreshing frankness as he plopped down next to Yata. Auerin's words, prompted to laughter, were not exasperation but praise for his good-natured personality.
"Well, you guys put up a hell of a fight. For you and Genkotsu, teaming up is actually a debuff, after all. Against a PvP boss, it can't be helped."
"…How'd you know about that so casually? I haven't made it public yet."
He shot a sideways glance at Goldow, but…
"C'mon, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"
"Tora-kun's abilities are just way too easy to understand."
"He's the embodiment of 'simple is best.'"
"It's all just simple and violent specs, really."
Surrounded by immediate retorts, he thought they were saying whatever they wanted… but since he knew it was true, he had no choice but to fall silent. Several smiles were directed at the uncomfortable [Great Tiger]. And so, as the lively scene shifted—
The clock ticked on, and the actors appeared on the stage.
"…………Here they come."
Whose words were those? The chatter naturally died down, and the gathering of friendly acquaintances and friends transformed into a gathering of title holders. They all looked ahead.
[Acrobat & Heat Gaze] vs. [Screen & Scattered].
Or more accurately, a collaboration between the [Acrobat] and the [Screen], a matchup that simultaneously held both 'expectation' and 'anxiety,' and pushed both to their absolute maximum.
"Now, what's going to happen…"
Ignoring the voice of someone else who had muttered, it was about to begin.
◇Meanwhile, in the corner of the room◇
"How long are you going to huddle in the corner? Iris-sama, Aika-san, and Natsume-chan are all here, you're missing your chance to communicate with the beauties, you know?"
"Well, uh, wait. I'm just biding my time, calmly."
"For someone who says they want to be popular, you're fundamentally bad with women, aren't you, Ricky-san?"
"I'm not bad with them…! I'm just shy…!"
"Just being the 'shy' type won't get you anywhere these days. If you don't show some manliness when it counts, finding your heroine is nothing but a dream, you know?"
"That's why it stings, Rinne-chan…! Go easy on me with those sharp words…!"
"He's perfectly normal with Rinne, though…"
"That's where you should be praising my communication skills."
"You get too close to everyone you meet. That's why you get pushed away everywhere."
"Huh? I don't get pushed away!"
"Your ability to perceive reality is just too low."
"Oh, you trying to start something? See, that's what I'm talking about. You're not cute at all, childhood friend."
"…………Could you two stop flirting in front of me?"
""Huh? Who'd be caught flirting with this loser?""
"Ehh… I don't get you childhood friends at all…"
Such was the scene with Rin-Maru plus one. Meanwhile, the Master and Oume-san are in the MC room, bothering Nonomi-chan.