kscans

Chapter 691 - Loading

"—And this is as far as I go…"

"Oh, come on. Pull yourself together, will you?"

And so, ten minutes later, in the waiting room.

After the pairings concluded amidst the unending cheers and Nono-san wrapped things up with a professional “Let’s have fun!!!”

As soon as the randomly generated tournament bracket was created, we were all sent to our own instance spaces—spacious, comfortable rooms filled with lavish amenities.

Naturally, my thread of tension snapped.

I staggered towards a bed-like sofa and collapsed, reciting my last words, only to receive a gentle scolding from my tag-team partner.

I know. I know.

But please, just for a moment, let me relax, onee-sama… And so,

"—Ahaha. We both got some fresh-faced partners, didn't we, onee-sama?"

The presence that came with me was not alone.

As I lay there, thoroughly deceased, and she watched her own partner collapse onto another sofa, a familiar voice called out to Hina-san, addressing her as “onee-sama.”

"Yes, we did. It might be an interesting setup for the audience, but as for the participants themselves… well, I suppose we should offer them our support—Rinne-chan."

"Of course!"

It was none other than the number one energetic girl, Rinne, the eighth-ranked member of the Southern Faction, Bell-Mail. Along with Genkotsu, or Gen-san, of Twin Fists, she was one of the instructors who had taught me martial arts.

And she was our opponent in the first match.

As for her partner…

"—Everyone is absolutely insane, I don’t get it… How is everyone just shrugging that off with a straight face, I don’t get it… I don’t get it…"

On the other side of the table, which was laden with real-world-style hors d'oeuvres, sweets, and drinks, unlike our Arcadia after-parties,

was Natsume, the seventh-ranked member of the South, Thread-Weaver, collapsed on a sofa just like me.

She was exactly the same as me. Having become a ranker just this year, she was, of course, a newcomer to the Triangle Duo, which is held every September.

In other words, a fellow first-timer at a real-world event. I don’t know her detailed history, but not everyone can be a former idol like Mi-na, Ri-na, or Nono-san.

So, it made perfect sense.

I had noticed her panicking just like me during the opening, but seeing a kindred spirit in the same state didn’t bring me any sense of relief.

I wonder if Nacchan-senpai noticed the state of the veteran ranker, Great Tiger. If she had, her affection for him would have skyrocketed, just like mine did.

"There, there, Natsume-chan. It’s okay, your senpai is here for you. Good girl, good girl."

"Don't just casually pat my head…"

As Rinne started to fuss over the kitten-like senpai, who was letting out a weak protest that could have been a complaint, embarrassment, or a cry for help,

"Hm… should I follow her example?"

"Please don’t… Hup, alright."

With a teasing joke, I forced my dead body upright.

I was the only guy thrown into a waiting room full of women. If I didn’t pull myself together, I wouldn’t be able to face the people back in my thoughts.

That’s it. As Gen-san said, all that’s left is to fight. I’ll just have to hope my tendency to tune out the surrounding chaos once the real thing starts kicks in. Please, seriously, I’m begging you.

"But man… this festival really is all about being casual, huh?"

"Yes. So, you don’t have to worry about the fight itself at all."

The two of them didn't seem to be particularly close friends. Rinne, with her invincible communication skills, was pushing forward, and Nacchan-senpai, completely overwhelmed, was protesting in a mosquito-like voice.

To be thrown into the same waiting room as our opponents… well.

"Is this basically them telling us to discuss how to make the fight more exciting with the enemy?"

"It’s more like ‘do as you please.’ But, you’re right… it might be important, in the interest of excitement, for us to decide on our ‘NGs’—things we won't do."

"NGs?"

"It means the moves that would make it so the other team can't do anything at all."

In other words, an agreement to avoid an instant, decisive victory.

That did seem important. From the audience's perspective, it would be a tragedy for a match they’d anticipated so eagerly to end in seconds.

With that in mind, we needed to draw a line to ensure a fun fight.

"That’s the idea. So, do you two have any?"

Being this close, we could naturally hear each other’s conversations. Rinne, who had somehow managed to get her junior into a lap pillow position with an air of regal confidence, called out to us…

""Hmm…""

"…Thought so. Geez, you Easterners are all the same."

A pair of Bell-Mail and Thread-Weaver. In terms of compatibility, they both possessed dangerous abilities that could give them an advantage over me, but I couldn't think of anything that would be instantly fatal.

That wasn’t out of arrogance, thinking I could handle them on my own, but based on the premise that I was teamed up with the overly reliable older sister next to me.

As Ri-na had said, the combination of me and Hina-san was quite good—or rather, a nasty combination. So, it couldn’t be helped. To be honest—

"Ah, well…"

"Nyufufu. You can just say it, you know? That you don’t feel like you can lose."

They too were strong warriors standing on the battlefield. It was impossible for them not to have analyzed our comparative strengths. Rinne said it nonchalantly with a laugh, and I returned it with a troubled smile… and then,

"—Seriously, the fact that this is my only junior has to be a bug…"

Whether she’d found her resolve or simply reached a state of resignation, the girl who had lifted her head from her senpai’s lap shot me a sideways glare.

"You’re not cute at all. Give me back my expectations for a ‘junior.’"

"Seriously…"

I didn’t know how to respond to such a sudden comment… but, well, yeah.

Now, I think I understand how she feels. Now that I’ve been blessed with the good fortune of being admired by a “cute junior” like Kanata.

So, yeah, I guess that’s it—alright.

"Come on, don't say that. Let's get along, Natsume-senpai."

"What, don't just call me by my name so casually."

"Alright, Nacchan-senpai."

"Why did you get even more familiar!"

I’ll do my best to try and be the cute junior she’s looking for.

—…And, is it about that time?

As we were deepening our friendship through playful banter, a screen suddenly lit up in the empty space.

A display floated in the air at a comfortable distance from the table, showing the now-empty dome stadium after we had retreated to the waiting rooms.

The time was mid-ten in the morning. With half an hour left until the first match at eleven, it was too early for the waiting room’s viewing window to open.

"…Huh? What’s this?"

Nacchan-senpai tilted her head, not because she hadn’t been told about the viewing system beforehand, but because Rinne and Hina-san, who had experienced the Triangle Duo once or twice before, had tilted their heads first.

Why had the display lit up before the first match?

It was a surprise—one that I, a certain someone’s disciple, already knew about. As for the kitten senpai who was panicking along with me, well, the other two must have noticed, right?

The hints were there.

So, now… the Sword Queen and the Sword Saint, two who bear the name of “sword,” the “strongest” and the “supreme.” Why did they not appear at the opening?

The answer would come in a few seconds, on the screen.