kscans

Chapter 728 - The Little Cannon and the Unyielding Sword

—When asked who his favorite junior was, Uni, the second-ranked member of the Southern Faction and one of the oldest rankers known as the 'Original Ten Seats,' the [Heavy Tank], would answer without hesitation.

It was Irori of the [Sword Protector]… no, the current [Peerless].

It wasn't just Uni; countless people were fond of that perfect superhuman. You'd run out of fingers on both hands trying to list all the virtues and charms that made him so well-liked. But if you had to point to one specific thing… it was simply because they were two of a kind. There was no other reason.

The [Sword Queen] and the [Sword Saint]. They both looked up to figures who bore the title of the sword, and they were kindred spirits who sought to stand by them, harboring a mix of respect and various other emotions.

And in the end, they were both people who could do little more than offer a sliver of support to their hearts.

As time went on, their commonalities only grew. The only difference, if any, was 'whether or not they held special feelings,' but that was hardly important.

Uni had once placed a one-sided expectation on this person. On the [Sword Protector], who, despite being in a situation that sparked an almost laughable amount of sympathy, had a different mentality from his own.

I won't let you be alone, he'd thought as he chased after her… Uni, in contrast, was just desperate to keep up. He had placed his hopes on this junior from another faction who aimed to stand beside the one he looked up to.

In the will that, even during times of stagnation, when his pace faltered, never stopped moving forward.

In the man for whom he couldn't help but feel a respect different from that he held for his own princess, he had thought, if it's him. He had hoped that he might be the one to one day clear away the 'clouds.'

…As it turned out, things led to the 'present,' but that was that.

Uni's feelings for Irori remained unchanged. He was still 'a junior he held such high hopes for that he couldn't help but tease him, wishing for his endless growth.'

And so, to face such a person on the stage of the arena—

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—When asked who his most difficult senior was, Irori, the third-ranked member of the Eastern Faction, the [Peerless], who had grown rather comfortable with his status as a long-time member, would answer without hesitation.

It was Uni, the second-ranked member of the Southern Faction, the [Heavy Tank].

That nonchalant demeanor could be both a virtue and a flaw, and Irori was likely not the only one who found it difficult to deal with. But still.

Of course, there were countless other charms that made him who he was; that's why he was chosen by the system and had his name among the rankers. Though he was often teased about catering to a certain demographic, the reality was that he had extremely few detractors and enjoyed stable popularity.

And yet, even acknowledging and understanding all of that, why did he answer 'difficult' without a moment's hesitation? It was because ever since Irori had risen to the ranks of the Eastern Faction, Uni had taken every opportunity to poke and prod at him.

From cheap provocations to carefully planned schemes, he was constantly challenged to spar. The reason he began to feel a sense of unease was not because he had been forced to stack up loss after loss until he managed to land a single blow in the Four Pillar War two tournaments ago…

Nor was it because he found it creepy that he didn't know the intention behind Uni's frequent pestering.

It was because what was being demanded of him was so straightforward and blatant that, in many ways, it was utterly infuriating.

Not because of Uni.

But because of both Uni and himself.

It wasn't that he disliked being expected to do well. It wasn't that he was angry about having to bear the hopes of others.

It was just that the days when he couldn't meet the expectations coming from him… from none other than the immovable second-in-command of the Southern Faction, were a time when he was forced to doubly feel the slowness of his own pace.

Uni and Irori, while their mentalities may have differed, were certainly similar in their circumstances. This was partly due to their own perceptions, to the point where they could even be seen as mirror images—and that's precisely why.

The image in the mirror was doubled.

Two versions of himself, unable to catch up, unable to stand beside them, became an undeniable reality that weighed down his feet.

There was no villain. The target of Irori's… of Nate Mitake's anger and frustration was never others, but always his own lack of strength.

He didn't hate the senior who had placed his hopes in him. But… yes.

Having reached the 'present,' that was that.

Having come to terms with his various emotions, he was now in a position to play the role of someone else's troublesome senior. He, who had done similar things, had no right to complain about the stress of the past.

And once his heart was clear, all that remained was pure, unadulterated frustration. He had only managed to return one blow in the tenth Four Pillar War; countless black marks still stained his record.

And so, to face such a person on the stage of the arena—

◇◆◇◆◇

—Their eyes were locked only on each other.

"Alright… I'm leaving the [Wolf Pack] to you, Sleeping Beauty. Don't you dare fall before I take down the Southern Faction's number two."

"…………Mm, mmm…"

"Could you please stop responding with sleepy breaths?"

Letting out a wry smile at the difficult communication with his partner, with whom he shared neither breath nor enthusiasm, the azure eyes of the samurai who had drawn his blue-bladed sword remained unshakably fixed on his 'enemy.'

"Right… well, I'm leaving Mei to you, Gin. Please don't get taken out by some accident before I take down Irori."

"Hmm."

"Could you please stop replying in a way that makes me so incredibly anxious?"

Was it that they got along, or was it just that their laid-back attitudes meshed well together?

While exchanging a relaxed conversation with his partner, the steel-blue eyes of the warrior who had drawn his twin black steel daggers were wide open… and now, as always, they were fixed straight on his 'enemy.'

"…――――Here I come, Uni. I'm taking my second victory."

"――――I'll let you have it. If you can surpass my expectations."

Their relationship continued, unchanged by the passage of time. Baring their teeth at their respective 'rivals,' they declared:

"[Blade Road]."

"[Pygmalion, Dwarf Gunner]."

And their blades, having clashed countless times, crossed once more.