kscans

Chapter 205 - Red, Blue, and White

“…The point gap is something I’ve never seen before.”

“It’s gotten to the point where it’s almost creepy, right?”

They’re probably bored. Every time I come back, the little ones come over. It's not a bad feeling. Ri-na, who seems like the downer type but is actually a serious, good kid, always gives me a proper word of praise.

I don’t mind them chatting idly around me while I rest. I can even overlook the fact that they’re making rude assessments right in front of the person they’re talking about.

However, Red, you’re still a no-go.

“If you’re not gone in three seconds, I’ll sink you. Be prepared.”

On the small patch of land around the wartime base that wasn't submerged in water.

While sinking into a giant, person-ruining cushion, I threw a menacing threat at the insolent one who would get endlessly carried away if left unchecked.

At that, Mi-na, who had been sitting on my waist as if she owned the place while I was lying face down, immediately scurried away. I don't understand why she keeps poking at me when her defense is non-existent.

“What’s with you, you’re no fun. Becoming a beautiful girl’s chair is a reward, isn’t it? Which means this is a perfectly good way of showing my appreciation—”

“Hah.”

“Hey, what’s with that Irorin-like laugh?! Are you saying that Mi-na-chan, the renowned ‘energetic one of Mina-Rina,’ isn’t cute?!”

The energetic one… Well, I get that it’s not exactly a negative assessment.

“By the way, what’s Ri-na called?”

I shot a sidelong glance at the self-proclaimed 'energetic one' and asked her other half. The girl with the blue trademark hesitated for a moment before answering.

“……………………The cute one.”

“...Well, you need someone to make you look good, I guess.”

“—That’s it, it’s war! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Unfortunately for you, trying to get special treatment from me based on looks alone is a losing battle. I’ll have you know, I have a partner who is good-looking, has a great personality, and is just plain cool.

“…Can you still move?”

As I subdued the idiot who had pounced on me with one hand, Ri-na, who as usual takes any opportunity to pet me, tilted her head and looked my way.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Goldow told me to take regular breaks so I can be ready to move at any time, so this is just for now.”

He must have seen the state I was in when he came to visit the camp, completely unable to move a muscle. I smiled back at the blue eyes that held a faint hint of worry and pushed myself up from the cushion—or rather, the sofa-sized mysterious substance.

It's hard to put into words, but it was like a low-rebound material with an exceptional embrace… Well, I don’t really get it, but it was a simple resting spot that the two of them had prepared using their 'power.'

I wonder if they sell this in the real world. I could get used to this.

“Training, perfect?”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say perfect, but… well, I should be fine for the duration of the Four Pillar War.”

Simply switching between the two outputs is one thing, but if I also use Matoi, fatigue is unavoidable. Still, it’s not to the extent that I can’t move my avatar anymore, like in the past.

The results of my training with my master have manifested in more than just my simple combat power… Uh, hey, hey… Ri-na-san? That tickles, that really tickles…!!

“Okay, I get it, I get it…! I know you’re cheering me on, so thank you…!”

She kept petting my hood over and over and over and over—Ri-na seemed like she would do it forever if left to her own devices. I caught her slender hand to stop her. The girl blinked her emotionless eyes a few times before obediently retracting her hand.

What is it about her… She has her moments of maturity, but she also has this innocent, childish feel to her. Well, she is apparently younger than me.

When I was looking up the opposing rankers, I also quickly gathered some information on my own side, and data on these two came up right away. Still, I didn't get such a childish impression from them in real life.

“Now, now, Ri-na-chan, no-no.”

Red, who had slipped out of my grasp at some point, pulled her partner away from me and into a hug. The sight itself was endearing, like close sisters—though Ri-na, as usual, had a sullen expression about the physical contact.

To think that this was their ultimate weapon against the 'Princess'—it was all a mystery to me.

“Oh?”

“Ooh.”

“Mm…”

After a while, having entered my third break, we spotted a pillar of light rising in the distance. Reacting in sequence has already become a routine thing.

The reappearance of a 'Pillar'—time to work.

“Come on, come on, it’s your turn, big bro! Get out there and show ‘em what you’ve got!!”

“What character are you even playing?”

My fourth sortie… and my third since this whole thing turned into a game of tag with countless players chasing me all over the place.

To be honest, if I hadn't gotten used to tracking barrages from my sparring with Sora, it would have been a hellscape of instant deaths.

“Good luck.”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

Casually brushing off Red's light-hearted remark, and resisting the urge to pat the head of the ever-childish Blue… I headed back into the maze.

I have no intention of complaining, and I have no complaints to begin with.

Because after all—'tag' is now one of my specialties.