kscans

Chapter 640 - The Spectators' Eyes

“—‘[Ignition]!’”

“Whoa, geez…! Nozomin shows no mercy…!”

“That guy’s amazing, in more ways than one…”

Along with the footage slammed onto the massive home theater screen, the raw, or rather, truly genuine fighting spirit and thunderous roar blasting from the speakers shook their eardrums.

Starting with a hidden technique he’d mentioned once before, followed by intercepting magic, weaving through countless obstacles with superhuman speed, and closing the distance with a single flash of his fist, he then unveiled a completely unknown and incredible new move.

Furthermore, after силою pinning the [Knight] with a monstrous summoned warhammer, he pulled the trigger without a hint of hesitation in a merciless, murderous combo.

The childhood friend duo, the usual reaction team of the group, let out cries of admiration. It was no wonder that a certain someone, performing the godlike feat of a ‘real-time edited broadcast’ for the Four Pillar War, decided to rewind and replay the scene. The sheer violence of the highlight reel demanded it.

For the average viewer, who could only tilt their head and think, “What on earth just happened?” at the barely-slowed-down footage, the replay was a much-appreciated consideration. Since the speed of time differs between reality and the virtual world, such edits are a common and accepted practice.

That is what a quasi-LIVE broadcast is all about.

As the four of them watched the various scenes being picked apart and replayed, they all wore the exact same expression as they followed their friend’s avatar.

Namely—

“When it comes to fighting, he shows no mercy even against girls… I like it.”

“I could never imitate that equal-opportunity murder-punch mentality of his. As expected of the [Sword Saint]’s disciple.”

“It’s one of Nozomi-kun’s strengths that he treats it as a game more than the average person…—Kaede, are you breathing?”

“I am…!”

A face of pure delight, taking pride in the achievements of the young man who was their shared favorite, their comrade, and their friend, and rejoicing without reservation. It was a secret that when he himself wasn’t present, their follower-spirits were unleashed, and things always ended up like this.

“I thought he was in trouble against three people, but as expected of the great [Acrobat]. He’s gonna get more fans, I tell ya, more and more fans!”

“And with that appearance, too…”

His transformed body, known as ‘Haru-chan,’ which was lauded for a beauty that rivaled even the [Sword Queen] Iris, had an extremely positive effect on the public image of the [Acrobat], who had been saddled with a number of difficult topics in various senses right after his rise to prominence.

To put it simply, ever since the capture video of the [Shadow-Infested Arena] was uploaded, the number of followers who viewed ‘Haru the Acrobat’ positively had exploded.

Of course, part of that was due to the trust he showed with Iris during their battle, his equal and sincere way of dealing with her, and his brilliant, exhilarating, and outstanding ‘strength’ that captivated all who watched… but still, ‘appearance,’ the gateway to affection, is a big deal.

His real appearance… though the public didn’t know it was real, his refreshingly neat and approachable visuals had already garnered a certain level of popularity.

However, it was a fact that he lacked that final push, that impact that could steal one’s heart at first sight—that missing piece was magnificently filled by that face.

No, it was more than just filled. A face generated completely at random by the ‘Trance System Alpha’… in other words, a true beauty that was artificial, yet not artificial.

In Arcadia, which is recognized as another reality, that beauty has transcended the frame of a mere game avatar to become something real, something worthy of bearing realistic idol-like qualities.

In short, the number of people falling in love at first sight skyrocketed.

And once someone develops a fondness for that, his personality—the one that brought a smile to the [Sword Queen] and quickly built friendly relationships with many Rankers—piles on even more positive evaluations.

On top of that, when the ‘Princess,’ in whom the world places its trust, is head over heels for him without a second glance, the idea that he is a man worthy of being liked by multiple women becomes something people can accept with a sense of, ‘Well, of course.’

When that happens, countless people sink into the great swamp of the naturally charming [Acrobat].

And it’s the same for the hearts of those who already liked him. His friends, taking advantage of his absence to praise his achievements to the high heavens, now say it in unison.

—It’s only natural for anyone, man or woman, to fall for him.

“By the way, it’s kinda funny how Nozomin doesn’t really use much magic or his gun in the end.”

“Yeah, I knew it. He just pretends to be smart but he’s a total meathead at his core.”

“His default thought process seems to be ‘just charge in and wreak havoc.’”

““But that’s what’s good about it.””

“I totally get it. Every one of the Acrobat’s fights is just so satisfying to watch.”

“…! …! …!!!”

Leaving the young lady of the Shijo family to stare silently at the replayed footage with sparkling eyes, the usual scene unfolded with the childhood friend pair, Shoko and Toshiki, and Mizuki joining in the lively conversation.

Gazes filled with a mix of admiration and friendship, hotter than any in the world. The hero receiving them all, on the other side of the screen in another world—was, as always.

With a dazzling smile and high spirits, he danced madly across the stage, faster and more nimbly than anyone else.