kscans

Chapter 573 - Backstage

"—Man, for my very first match, I got a seriously crazy opponent…"

This mission was different from the last Four Pillar War or the [White Throne] subjugation battle, where I basically did whatever I wanted. In a way, this was my true 'duty as a rank-holder to the public.'

And so, I went in with high spirits, only to face that in the very first round. The words that spilled from my mouth as soon as I returned to my now-familiar home, the Round Table, were my true feelings, leaked out as the tension eased—to be honest, I was putting on a calm front during the match, but I was scared stiff.

It was no joke; he was an opponent where an 'accident' wasn't an impossibility…

"I think there's a one-hundred-million percent chance your opponent was thinking the same thing, you know?"

"It looked like… a complete victory."

My two seniors, who had already left the venue and returned, offered a retort and a question to my muttered words. I suppose I have to explain it to them carefully.

Just how 'crazy' Kanata, the user of that boyish avatar, really was.

—When it comes to the basics of close-quarters combat, he's actually a total amateur.

I said this to the little pipsqueaks, who, from the perspective of an ordinary person with 'average' kinetic vision and reaction speed, would be at the absolute bottom tier by rank-holder standards.

"No, that guy was dangerous… It could have easily become a repeat of my fight with Irori."

As I sank into the Fourth-ranked seat and dropped that 'fact' with a straight face, they must have realized I wasn't joking.

Mi-na's face, which had been half-amused, half-teasing, contorted into a "Are you serious?" expression. Meanwhile,

"…His movements were certainly impressive. But was he really that good?"

Ri-na, still skeptical, tilted her head and asked a question. In response, I gave a nod and an addendum.

"Yeah, well, that's the thing. If we were to fight for real, I'd win a hundred times out of a hundred."

It's not a childish boast or conceit; I'm being serious. As someone who is aware of my position, which doesn't allow for much joking around, I try to analyze the fighting strength of myself and my opponents earnestly and without playing games.

"It was a matter of compatibility, or rather, we were 'of the same kind' with similar styles. If we went all out against each other… the one with the superior specs would naturally win."

"Hoh? You've started talking big, haven't you, big bro?"

"He's grown."

Well, I'll ignore the teasing for now.

"But, man… I've come to realize from this side of things that for a type like me, who can't go all out in order to gauge an opponent, his type is the ultimate nemesis. It's too scary. I don't want to fight him."

"What do you mean, 'a type like you'?"

That would be, of course, the core style that brought down both the [Sword Protector] and the [Sword Queen].

"A surprise box that spams first-time-kill moves on pure momentum."

"Ahh… well, that was RIP Irorin. And the 'momentum' of that momentum is insane."

"A Giant Killing Specialist."

It's not like I intentionally went for that kind of build… but yeah, that's what it is.

Anyway, it's true that 'that' is a kind of magic trick whose danger can't be understood just by watching from the outside—by anyone other than me, who actually faced it.

"Kanata, that guy, he perfectly predicted my movements after he closed his eyes."

No, it was more than just prediction.

"It was like… with the accuracy of future sight."

"Hmm…? Is that, like? Your 'eyes,' big bro?"

"The skill name I overheard sounded similar. It might be a skill of the same type… but at the very least, his response accuracy wasn't at a level where he could only see one second ahead."

It was a series of perfect 'counters,' as if he had chosen the best option from countless futures he could see. There was the premise that it was 'within the realm of what Kanata could achieve,' but the fact is that I was forced to expose a clear opening, enough to let him get in a finishing move.

"Whoa. So, like, if you're saying that much, he must have been really amazing."

"His first-place score in the preliminaries wasn't just for show?"

"Exactly… I'm seriously glad I was fully on guard from the pre-match info."

Again, it was no joke; he was an opponent where an accident was a real possibility.

My intuition told me that skill was dangerous—which, in turn, means that 'Kanata, who mastered that skill, is dangerous.'

'Skills' in this virtual world are blessings of a miracle that realize possibilities the person alone cannot achieve. Conversely, the skills that reside in an avatar are manifestations of the 'talent' dormant within that person.

Those who possess unique skills are often strong individuals who have walked a 'path' that led to their manifestation. It's not everything, but it's one easy-to-understand indicator.

And so, the conclusion.

"I guess my 'recommendation slot' is pretty much filled up now…"

"Oh, after just the first round?"

"A favorite?"

Well, I mean, come on.

Even setting aside his dangerous hidden card, his battle sense, including his split-second decision-making, is undeniably top-tier. In addition, his high-speed and irregular sliding mobile combat, likely using 'shoes' that seem to be an [Anima], was nothing short of brilliant.

He is, without a doubt, the kind of unique talent that our faction is looking for.

I may not be one to talk, having been the wall he ran into, but he's not a player who should disappear after a first-round loss. It's my duty as someone who correctly understands his strengths to scoop him up.

…Yes, it's a fair judgment as a rank-holder. Therefore, it's definitely not—

"…A favorite?"

"…Why did you ask a second time, Ri-na-san?"

—because I feel a sense of kinship with his fighting style, or because of the passion with which he challenged me, or the spirit he showed in trying to land a single blow until the very end, or his somehow approachable atmosphere… or anything like that.

I am absolutely not recommending him based on such personal feelings.