Chapter 77: GroupH・Finals

Hi there,

I'm back from the dead (kind of).

Hope that everyone is doing well during these times.

While I can't say I'll be here to stay or I'll start updating frequently again, I might start translating a bit during my free time again.

That being the case, don't expect me to have lots of chapters prepared or go at a fast pace. There won't be a schedule or anything either.

Not really sure how many would pick up the series again or if there's even any still around. Just wanted to do something to take my mind off things while providing something for people to read again.

The chapters will come as they are translated and my former editor Weasalopes is back to his editing role for the series.

Anyway, enjoy the new chapter and hopefully I'll be back soon with the .

Oh, I lost the wordpress plan I used to have back then, so expect ads to pop up in the blog, those are outside my power and I don't get any income from them. Feel free to deal with them however you see fit.

There's also the fact that the layout and such was changed without me knowing so I'm not sure if it'll cause issues on your devices.

And then, in the blink of an eye it was time for the last battle of group H.

Both of us managed to win until now, our opponent was...

「You came as expected...Tobi! I was waiting for you!」 (Yumir)

Yumir pointed at Tobi and Mitsuyoshi-san, who appeared from the other side of the stage while wearing a stiff expression.

Our opponents for the finals were two men wearing similar japanese style equipment. A light warrior (evasion type) and an archer (rapid-fire type).

「Since you completely crushed your first opponents like that, I had the feeling it was going to end like this.」 (Hind)

「Fufufu...the same goes for both of you, haven't you trained quite well during the time I haven't seen you? My heart can't stop throbbing right now!」 (Tobi)

Our opponent Tobi, calmly walked toward us while showing a smile.

Yumir lowered her arm, then crossed both of her arms and showed a fearless smile.

However, I, I can't seem to stand this kind of weird mood...

For some reason, I'm getting goose bumps, in a bad way.

「Throbbing? That's no good, you can't go around playing games all night and neglecting your health.」 (Hind)

「Eh? Ah, sorry, I'll be more careful...wait, Hind-dono!?

Why did this serious mood last less than 5 seconds!? I don't have palpitations! Read the mood!」 (Tobi)

「..kuh, Hahahahahaha!」 (Mitsuyoshi)

I mean, that kind of thing is kinda creepy and embarrassing you know.

If you are going to do that, leave me out of it.

Saying that, Tobi and Yumir said 「Eeeh」 while looking at me with displeased faces.

Mitsuyoshi-san burst out laughing at our idiotic back and forth.

After laughing for a while, he wiped the tears at the edges of his eyes and said this.

「...Fuh.

But it's like Hind-kun said. While what you say before the match won't get left behind in the replay, if you are not careful and talk during the match, it'll get included in the recording.」 (Mitsuyoshi)

「No! I, I was creating this dark history on purpose!

I'll act in an embarrassing way, then we can look back on it and laugh it out loud!」 (Yumir)

「Yumir-chan, you were doing it on purpose huh...good gracious, consider me impressed.」 (Mitsuyoshi)

Tobi, who was next to Mitsuyoshi-san screamed 「Eh, really!? Is this sort of thing embarrassing!?」, but let's ignore it.

Even though we are all here already, the waiting time is so long...if it's like this, I guess there's still time for idle talk.

I want to get a grasp of our opponent Mitsuyoshi-san's personality, so I'll bring up a suitable topic of conversation myself.

「...Now that I think about it, Mitsuyoshi-san's player name, why did you choose it? It's probably not your real name right?」 (Hind)

「Hmm? Let's see...like Tobi-kun, I took it from a warring states military commander, he was also someone that used a bow.

「He's someone that only those that are knowledgeable will know, so if you don't know about him it's normal.」 (Mitsuyohi)

「No, Mitsuyoshi-dono.

「If it's Hind-dono, he'll probably know who he is you know?」 (Tobi)

A warring states military commander and Mitsuyoshi huh?

Yup...Mitsuyoshi...bow...in that case, it's probably that guy.

Even during the times that guns were getting popular, that long lived military commander kept using a bow until the end.

「Yup, it's Oshima Mitsuyoshi right? Am I wrong?」 (Hind)

「Ooohhh!! You are amazing Hind-kun, you are correct!」 (Mitsuyoshi)

After showing a surprised face because of my answer, Mitsuyoshi excitedly struck my back.

However, he sure took the name from quite the understated military commander...

「As expected of Hind-dono.

「Fighting in the battle of Sekigahara at the age of 93, if that was true, it would be quite the exciting episode right!?」 (Tobi)

「Leaving the matter of if that anecdote is true or not aside, there's no doubt that he was a person that rose in the world as an archer.」 (Hind)

「Even among archers from the past, people are usually attracted to more flashy ones like Nasu no Yoichi and Minamoto no Tametomo.

「Once you get to this age, instead of those, you tend to get charmed by powerful old men instead. It was like that for me.」 (Mitsuyoshi)

「Muh? But Mittchi, I think you still look quite young?」 (Yumir)

Mitsuyoshi paid no attention to the name Mittchi that Yumir gave him and asked us 「How old do I look to you?」.

I honestly replied with around 30.

Yumir gave a similar answer, but the surprising words 「I won't say the exact age, but I'm over 50 years old.」 came out of his mouth.

He altered his appearance to look younger huh...he has the default hairstyle in black and there are few wrinkles in his face.

Is the main factor that he looks young that macho-like body type? He's not showing stuff like his abdomen either.

「He's like Hind's mom then? Young young.」 (Yumir)

「No, that person...isn't she a genuine witch? There's no doubt about it.」 (Tobi)

「Don't go talking about other people's mothers like they were monsters.

「If she catches wind of this, you are going to get strangled again, you know?」 (Hind)

「Oh, you three know each other in real life?

「That kind of thing is nice. In my student days...」 (Mitsuyoshi)

Like that, our conversation heated up.

Mitsuyoshi's way of speaking broke up but there was this calmness befitting someone his age, he was someone fun to speak to.

If it's like this, shaking up his mental state mid match won't be a possible strategy huh...

While receiving gazes from the audience that were saying 「Why are these guys acting all calm in there?」, we waited for the start signal on top of the stage.

A few minutes after the match started-

「Seiyah!」 (Yumir)

「Hahaha! You are not hitting me!」 (Tobi)

「Nugah! So noisy, you are so annoying!」 (Yumir)

Tobi was toying around with us while dodging with swift movements and we were currently struggling.

To think having someone go around you would be this annoying, besides, for him to be this troublesome...

Yumir's attacks didn't land, and while Tobi didn't deal much damage with his dual blades, the damage kept accumulating.

「-I got you! ...Nuoh!?」 (Yumir)

Just when she finally caught him and cut his throat, the body started blurring and the damage was nullified.

「Too bad, that was a cicada shell.」 (Tobi)

「That's unfair!」 (Yumir)

「It's not unfair!

「It's a legitimate action for a ninja like me!」 (Tobi)

While they were having an argument like elementary schoolers...

However, is that guy really part of the go-home club? His swift and splendid movements made you doubt that.

Like dodging the sword with a backflip, he looked like a gymnastics athlete or some ninja straight out from a novel.

Just when I said that as I watched them...

「-Wha!?」 (Hind)

At the time I stopped right behind Yumir to charge my MP, an arrow flew straight by my side.

...This happened when I became distracted for just a split second.

On top of having high accuracy, it was scary how each arrow carried considerable power for a rapid-fire type.

I switched places and started charging up again from a place where Mitsuyoshi-san would find Yumir annoying.

Yumir shouldn't take much damage even if she takes a couple arrows, so I've got no choice but to slowly charge up my MP while having her cover me.

Because of that, we had no choice but to stay close to each other.

If I let my guard down, Tobi would also be able to get in range to hit me, so I was forced to play really defensively.

「Hind-san, hang in there!」 (Riizu)

「Y-Yumir-san too, do your best!」 (Selene)

I hear Riizu and Selene-san cheering for us, but I have no leeway to reply to them.

We've been at a disadvantage from the start until this point...how are we supposed to turn this situation around?

There's no meaning behind their cheers, I believe it's pretty clear what our situation is like right now.

Mitsuyoshi-san is clearly aiming to obstruct me, so thinking about the current MP amount I have, the best I can do right now is to cast a 『Healing』 since it doesn't cost much towards Yumir.

Or, since both of their attacks are physical types, I could use the similarly low cost 『Guard up』 on both me and Yumir.

Yumir's MP is in a good condition since she has been bombarded by attacks, however, unlike our usual fights where she can just go on a suicide attack while having me healing her, this time she has to be careful.

Our battle strategy is based on using a revive or two, so our current situation is quite painful.

I'm begging you, please let me charge up my MP!! Is the kind of honest plea I'd like to scream.

However, on top of them not having many gaps, their decision making is really fast, they are strong without any doubt.

Their aim is probably...

「Tobi-kun, stand back! I'll finish it with this!」 (Mitsuyoshi)

「Fuh, seems like this is our win! Farewell!」 (Tobi)

「!! This is bad, Yumir! Catch Tobi!」 (Hind)

「Kuh...!」 (Yumir)

Yumir's sword was unable to reach him and Tobi took a great distance from us.

The consideration of friendly fire disappeared and Mitsuyoshi's arrow was nocked towards the heavens.

-『Arrow rain』 is coming!