kscans

Chapter 236 - The Shame Obliteration xxxx Decisive Battle

"What a filthy trick. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves as adults!?"

""Look who's talking.""

Satou and the Panty-Flash Faction glared at each other from a distance. The reason the faction wasn't attacking was to apply pressure. The adults knew that in a battle of mental fortitude, sometimes not moving was surprisingly effective.

"Frankly, we're the ones who are shocked that something like that actually landed a hit," someone said.

"I agree. We've fought him in training countless times, but I still can't believe an attack connected so cleanly," another added.

"It’s not just that the attack landed. It’s the first time I've ever seen Hero Uncle so flustered."

Takahashi and Suzuki gave a faint smile at the children's expressions of disbelief.

"Satou possesses the qualities of both a scumbag and a proper adult."

"He wasn't always like that, but I guess he picked it up naturally after joining the workforce."

He had always been a caring and kind person when it came to children. When the sensibility of a grown-up was added to the mix, a junior high girl’s panty flash was elevated into the deadliest of weapons. Satou nodded at their two observations, his face a mask of pure vexation.

"...It's true. High school girl panties are still kind of borderline safe, but junior high is a no go. It's a crime."

"No, high school is a no go too. What are you talking about?"

Ignoring Sakuya's calm retort, Satou yelled at Chika.

"Chika-san! What are you making your daughter do!? Are you okay with this!?"

"Oh, he's shifted his attack to Saionji."

That said, Satou's point wasn't entirely off the mark. In fact, Chika herself wore a complicated, indescribable expression.

"Well, I had my doubts too, but Rika was so enthusiastic about it..."

"Honestly, I was skeptical, but if it could make the old man cry uncle, then you know?"

"If it means landing a blow on Satou Hideo, well, objectively speaking, a pair of underwear or two is a small price to pay."

"Besides, if Takahashi-san's predictions were correct, he wouldn't even see them in the first place."

"And in fact, he didn't."

The junior high girls saw no problem at all.

"I don't think you should judge things by the results alone!!"

"More importantly, Hiro, have you thought of a way to break through? Not that it matters, we’re attacking whether you have or not."

She declared their restart just as Satou’s mind began to lean toward cracking the Panty-Flash Combat, all while keeping up the pressure. The timing was truly exquisite. Chika and the TS duo had read Satou’s thoughts completely.

...Damn it, what a pain.

It wasn't as simple as just closing his eyes. Now that his specs were matched with the Panty-Flash Faction, being deprived of his vision would genuinely hurt. Nor was it a matter of just getting his head around it. This was a problem of social decency. The good sense Satou Hideo had built up with age was overreacting to a junior high schooler’s panty flash. No, this is bad. JC panties are a crime, he thought.

This is super effective in a mock battle, even if it wouldn't be in a real one!!

It was a tactic that only worked because there was nothing at stake. But the Panty-Flash Faction knew that much. All they needed was to make him cry uncle, here and now.

The next main attacker is Saku-chan, huh.

He focused his attention on his niece (technically, his first cousin once removed) as she rushed toward him, dual swords in hand. Sakuya had a support-type build, but that didn't mean she couldn't handle close combat. She wasn't an all-rounder like Satou, more of a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none, but with allies, that was no problem at all.

"...They're timing the panty flash."

He muttered, catching sight of the two junior high girls in the corner of his eye, waiting to exploit the slightest opening.

"Should you really be saying that with such a serious face?"

"I should."

He answered while expertly parrying the attacks of Sakuya in the lead and the four providing support.

"Besides, what about me?"

"Hmph, Saku-chan, you're a high schooler."

He wouldn't actively go for a low-angle shot. But if he happened to see by accident, he could chalk it up to good luck.

"Besides, I'm the man who's changed your diapers, Saku-chan. You think I’d care at this point?"

"Hmm?"

A high kick was unleashed as if to say, well then, let's test that theory. The Satou of old would have dodged with minimal movement while thinking, panty flash get, thank you very much... but!

"Wh, y!?"

He averted his eyes faster than thought. And naturally, that created an opening, and he took a hit. They’re high schooler panties! Why, me!? Sakuya spoke to the shaken Satou.

"You often understand yourself the least."

He had changed his niece’s diapers. He had even bathed with her. They were that close. Since they started living together, he’d stopped thinking of her as just a relative and saw her as family. It would be normal not to feel anything seeing a family member's underwear.

"There's no way a social butterfly like Hero Uncle wouldn't be considerate."

Even if he thought of her like family, that was a separate matter. Satou was the kind of person who would be considerate where it counted. Otherwise, would he have suggested they do their laundry separately after she confessed to being a woman?

"Because you're precious family. It’s not the same as some random high school girl."

He couldn't enjoy the panty flash.

"Just as expected of Satou's niece. When she proposed this, I slapped my knee in approval."

"This was Saku-chan’s plan...?!"

After that, Satou continued to be toyed with by the Panty-Flash Combat, his defenses wearing thin.

"Mama, shouldn't it be about time?"

"You're right."

A thick fog rolled into the training ground. It must have been Chika's doing. A supernatural mist that deceived the senses. His visibility was limited to only a few meters.

Wh, where from? Where are they going to attack from!?

Satou sharpened his senses, wary of a surprise attack, but contrary to his expectations, the next assailants appeared from straight ahead. It was Rika and... Chika, rejuvenated by activating her power. Was this a diversion? At a glance, they were indistinguishable, but a moment's closer look would reveal the truth.

No, are they using that to their advantage?

Rika disguised as Chika pretending to be a rejuvenated Chika. Or the reverse. They could use it that way. But they couldn't fake their movements. If he remained calm, there would be no problem. That was his judgment, but...

""Hah!!""

"What!?"

The two of them attacked with movements that were, quite literally, indistinguishable. Even if she was matching Rika, Chika was clearly a powerful fighter. The fact that she was limiting her abilities should have been apparent in her movements. Yet it wasn't. Or rather, he could see it in both of them.

"Even for a mother and daughter... no, a synchronization using her power as a Star Priestess!? You can do that too!?"

He surmised that the two of them must have dissolved into the Earth once, then reconstructed themselves under Chika's lead. During that process, Chika must have created a line between herself and her daughter, allowing them to share power and experience.

"Amazing, Mama. He saw right through it."

"Well, it is Hiro."

Now he couldn't even tell which was Chika and which was Rika.

""Then let’s confuse him even more.""

The girl who had taken the form of Rika transformed into a young Chika. Satou was completely at the mercy of the panty-flash feints the two of them launched.

"Hah... hah...!!"

The four of them chipping away at him from a distance under the cover of fog, and the two of them relentlessly attacking him in close combat. Satou was forced completely onto the defensive.

Don't underestimate me! I'm a man who once lost his heart completely to this woman! I'll see through you!!

Things had been complicated since their reunion, but the facts of the past would never fade. Chika. No, Saionji Chikage. He refused to be the fool who couldn't recognize the girl he once loved.

I see it!!

The girl attempting a panty flash from the front was without a doubt Chika. He would take one of them down right here, right now. Bring on the panty flash. As long as it wasn't a junior high schooler's, it was a reward. He unleashed a strike with unwavering will, but...

"...I believed in you, Hiro. That you would find me."

Chika forcefully flipped up her skirt. You think it won't work if he knows it's coming? That might be true, if she had been wearing panties.

"————"

She wasn't wearing any.

He froze. The fog cleared. At the same time, Chika shouted.

"Now!!"

Everyone unleashed their ultimate attacks. If the power-limited Satou took this hit, it was all over. The Full-Flash Finish, after establishing the Panty-Flash Combat. This was their formula for victory. Everyone was sure of it. They were all ecstatic at the prospect of finally handing a defeat to the undefeated, strongest man, even with his power restricted.

≪————Huh?≫

But their joy turned to confusion, and then to shock. Everyone looked at Satou. He was battered. But he was still within a range where he could continue fighting. Had he removed the shackles he'd placed on himself? No, that wasn't it. He was a sore loser who knew no defeat, but everyone knew he wasn't the kind of man to break the rules he set for himself. So this was just him dealing with it perfectly at his current level.

"...N, no way."

"It’s not like it was completely impossible to deal with, but..."

It was the kind of thing that was only possible in theory, or not zero probability. For example, his sense of sight. Or his hearing. If even one of them had been at Satou's original specs, it might have been achievable. But with his power restricted to a level not so different from their own, even Satou Hideo shouldn't have been able to...

As the Panty-Flash Faction stood there, dumbfounded, Satou couldn't help but laugh.

"Heh heh."

You all look like you don't get it. But this is perfectly natural. If you are a man, I want you to imagine something. Imagine the girl you liked back in your school days flipping her skirt up right in front of you. And then imagine that what lay beyond wasn't panties, but something even more amazing. Is there any man who wouldn't be fired up by that? Is there any man who wouldn't be awakened by that?

————Saionji Chika's Full-Flash Finish had guided Satou Hideo to even greater heights.

"Now, let's end this."

On one side was Satou, now capable of constantly landing critical hits at the maximum output available to him. On the other was the Panty-Flash Faction, their all-or-nothing Full-Flash Finish having been weathered. The battle was over in about five minutes, with no need to even discuss who had the advantage. The Panty-Flash Faction lay defeated, while Satou, though covered in wounds, stood firmly on his own two feet. There was no need to state who was the loser and who was the victor.

"Saionji Chika, Saionji Rika, Takahashi Alice, Suzuki Mio, Sarna Diadokos, Ayase Sakuya..."

He called out each of their names, savoring them. Yanagi, Onisaki, the shadow of the one who wished for an end, Hades, the villainess... he had fought many powerful enemies besides them. But he smiled, thinking they were not only on par with all of them, but perhaps his strongest foe yet.

"Bravo. I will never forget this victory for the rest of my life."

This is the strongest. Is this really okay, being the strongest?.