kscans

Chapter 86 - Special Techniques

"Ahh... that felt refreshing."

"It really did. Oh, what would you like to drink? I'll treat you."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around normally?"

"You've been taking care of me, Satou-san, so this much is fine."

If he puts it that way, I can't really refuse. But... ah, this is tough. What should I do? The post-bath drink is always such a difficult decision.

"Hmm..."

If we're talking alcohol, beer is the only choice, right? But today's different. If it's non-alcoholic, then it's got to be some kind of milk, but that's another difficult choice. Regular milk, coffee milk, fruit milk - these three options are genuinely tough to choose from.

"How about all three then?"

"No way. The first sip is what matters. That's when it tastes the best."

Your body flushed from the bath amplifies the taste of milk several times over. That's why having all three isn't an option. Drinking the most delicious one is what brings the greatest happiness. That said, I can't spend too much time deciding. After much anguish, I chose coffee milk. Hikaru went with fruit milk without hesitation. The two of us drained our milk and were making "ahhhh" sounds in the massage chairs when Rika and the others arrived a bit later.

"Hikaru, you sound like an old man..."

"But it feels so good... ahhhhhh"

Well, after putting our bodies through all that, it really hits the spot.

"By the way, there are only about twenty days left of summer vacation, but have you finished your homework already?"

"I have, yes. I finished in July."

"Same here, I finished mine in early August."

"Rika-chan?"

"...W-well, I still have a little left, but it's fine, it's fine."

That face says "a little" equals "a lot." But I get it. I used to tackle summer homework in the latter half too. Every year I'd think I should finish it quickly, but... it's strange.

"A-anyway! Uncle, couldn't you teach me some kind of special technique?"

"Huh? What's this kid suddenly talking about?"

She's terrible at changing the subject...

"I was talking with Sarna-chan in the bath. We thought if we had something like that as our foundation, it might make fighting easier."

"Oh?"

If she wanted a special technique just to take the easy way out, I'd dismiss her with a "don't be naive," but if that's her reasoning, it changes things.

"Sarna-chan, you've got good instincts."

"Thank you."

She's right that having a special technique as your foundation would make fighting easier. Among this group, that would apply to Hikaru and Sarna-chan. It would be extremely effective for the serious types.

"Me, sir?"

"A special technique is basically a move that can defeat an opponent or deal massive damage when it hits, right?"

That means your thinking becomes fixated on how to land that attack. If you have too many options but can't instantly decide which one to use, they'll just drag you down. In that case, narrowing your choices isn't necessarily a bad strategy. If you build your fighting style around a special technique as your core, it's easier to improve because you have a clear direction.

"...I see. But all I have is improved physical abilities - nothing that really stands out as a potential weapon."

"Not necessarily true."

Even simple types without any sharp edges can create special techniques.

"I taught you how to use ki for enhancement, right?"

"Yes."

"You could use that with excessive output."

Right now, Hikaru focuses on sustained combat ability, using about 50% output to enhance his whole body constantly. But he could also use it by raising the output for short periods and concentrating it on one point.

"If you momentarily enhance your fists or legs at 120% output, your firepower would increase plenty."

"...That's true."

"I used techniques like that myself when I was starting out. Called it Cocktail Burst."

"Cocktail? Like alcohol?"

Rika tilted her head. Yes, exactly. The name comes from alcoholic cocktails.

"It's enhancement that layers different technical systems together."

Ki, sorcery, magic, and finally drugs. You momentarily spike your output and attack with overwhelming force.

"...Is there, um, any backlash from that?"

"Of course there's backlash. But that's what special techniques are like, isn't it?"

I tell the worried-looking Sarna-chan. Even if you make it your foundation, special techniques aren't meant to be used frequently. They're trump cards for crucial moments. If you can win just by fighting to set up the technique, then save it. If it looks impossible, then use it. Operating with that simple mindset is the easiest approach.

"Hey, hey, what about me then? What kind of special technique would I have?"

"For Rika-chan... you'd be better off asking Chika-san rather than me."

Since you're using exactly the same power. Though personality-wise, I think a high-firepower type that drains you completely after one shot would suit you.

"Mom... did Mom use special techniques?"

"That person... was more the type to make use of a large hand of cards."

Though they're mother and daughter, their fighting styles are quite different. As you could tell from the magma ambush, Chika-san was skilled at what you'd call underhanded fighting if you didn't mince words. Rika-chan, on the other hand, fights by attacking straight-forwardly, attacking and attacking relentlessly.

"While we're at it, I think for Sarna-chan's case, you should focus on handling your unique ability more delicately rather than increasing firepower."

"More delicately?"

You could center yourself around a high-firepower technique like Hikaru. But if you want to make use of your strengths, I think a direction that layers debuffs rather than dealing damage would be better.

"This is something Hades did when he fought me."

When I broke through his death authority, he was shaken, but he was still the king of the underworld. He immediately switched tactics. Since his power somehow stopped working, what if he narrowed the scope of death? Something like killing only the injured parts. It didn't work on me, but if it had, healing the wounded areas would have been impossible. Well, even then there would be workarounds. For example, if an arm became useless, you could tear off the wounded part and grow a new one.

"If you gradually weaken your opponent like that..."

"It becomes possible to capture the enemy within your instant-death range."

"Exactly."

But... hmm, special techniques. Special techniques, huh.

"What's wrong, Uncle? You've got a bad look on your face."

"No... talking about special techniques made me want to create a new one myself. I'm thinking of making it this year's independent research project."

"Independent research?"

"Yeah. I call it adult independent research and do various things every summer."

The first one was collecting only colored somen noodles to make a full meal. You know those ones, right? Where just one noodle is colored differently. I tried it, but the taste didn't change particularly, and all that pink and green actually killed my appetite. If you really want to eat it, buying the kind that's all colored from the start would be faster - that was my conclusion.

"I just thought of an interesting technique, so I'm thinking of creating several including that one."

"What's this interesting technique?"

"It's called All Satou Resolution."

"I can't imagine the content from the technique name at all..."

"Well, you see, I once fought a monster born from the collective unconscious."

I got the idea from that. I access the collective unconscious and ask all the Satous. There's this enemy here and I'm thinking of defeating them, but what do you Satous think? Something like that.

"Then I gather the consenting wills and fire them out."

Theoretically, the more who agree, the greater the power. Whether I can skillfully build negative sentiment to increase consenting wills would be where my skills as a salesman shine... oh?

"What's wrong, Sarna-chan? You look pale."

"Oh, no... it's just, if Hero-san becomes even stronger, I'll fall even further behind."

"Ha ha ha. I've been in this world for quite a while, you know? If you caught up that easily, I'd have no dignity left as an old man."

"R-right!"

Well, having ambition is a good thing though!