Chapter 7
Hajime: If you give me that kind of free reign, then I... umm, what should I do...
Tsukasa: To begin a battle, press the green button at the bottom of the screen, and select yellow_ninja as your target.
Hajime: R–right. Select yellow_ninja and...
Oh, it’s the battle screen ♪
Shinobu: Fufun. Since I have higher agility, I attack first. I’ll set myself to defense so I can observe things.
Hajime: Ah, then it looks like it’s my turn. Umm, umm... to use the Fire I got earlier I need to...
Tsukasa: You don’t have to rush; there is no time limit. First, select “Skill.” Find Fire from the list... Yes, there you go.
Hajime: Thank you, Suou-kun ♪ All right, I use Fire!
Shinobu: Ooh, what an impressive fire attack!
...Mmm?
Hajime: Wh–what? My character’s HP is going down instead of Sengoku-kun’s. I only have a little bit left.
Tsukasa: Hm. It seems that somehow Shinobu-kun’s special skill, Counter, has been activated.
The level difference might be too great for a 1V1...
So I will join the battle as Hajime-kun’s coadjutor ♪
I activate Protection! I will take all of Shinobu-kun’s attacks, so please devote yourself to casting Fire as you please, Hajime-kun.
Hajime: O–okay, got it! Fire!
Shinobu: Nooo, my HP is slowly going down! Tetora-kun, help meee!
Tetora: Ossu! I’ll destroy your shield with my fist! Hah—!
Tsukasa: Gh—no good. That attack just sapped my HP...
Hajime: Ah, so this is where I come in. I’ll choose Recovery from the list and... Get up, Suou-kun!
Tsukasa: I appreciate it. Just using Protection won’t help us win. You have forced my hand... with this sword, I shall run you through!
Tetora: Whoa—one hit KO! Suou-kun really is a beast~
Shinobu: T–Tetora-kun, I shall avenge thee. I use Clone!
Hajime: Th–there’s a bunch of Sengoku-kuns?! Wh–which one is the real one?
Tsukasa: Hmm... the priest’s magic is effective over Clone, but you still haven’t mastered it.
I will take them each out one by one. So Hajime-kun, please keep casting Recovery on me. In doing this, we will find the real one eventually ♪
Tetora: Hum, they’re slowly driving Sengoku-kun into a corner.
Just like in a team karate competition, you gotta figure out how to fight as a team. It’s the whole point of it...
One hour later
Tsukasa: ...Now then. Hajime-kun’s level has risen considerably, so let’s start venturing off-campus.
We’ll go around the bases collecting items and EXP.
Shinobu: Shall we take mine usual route, then? I know of one that can efficiently get us around the bases ♪
Tsukasa: So you are well-informed about the area outside the academy. I suppose that makes you a good assassin ♪ ...Oh.
Koga: Hn? Ya bastards’re playing RoseKnights after school, too?
Tsukasa: Oogami-senpai... no, lonely_wolf. Right now we are training for our revenge match.
Tomorrow at lunch, please meet us by the fountain. We’ll have our duel there.
Koga: Haha—a duel, huh?! Let’s see how strong you can get in just a single day. Make sure you entertain me tomorrow, got it?
Shinobu: Oh... ohh. It really feels like we can’t back out now.
Tetora: Guess we got no choice, then! Ossu!
Shinobu: Okay, we hath arrived. This is a good place to find a lot of monsters. And since there are many bases as well, it’ll be easy to collect items.
Hajime: Oh, you’re right. There are a lot more bases than there were at school...
Wait, huh? I just got so many items, that my inbox is full.
Tetora: Then how ‘bout a battle to get rid of some of ‘em?
If you use the Random Match feature, you can battle against players all across the country. That way, you’ll get used to it and be ready for tomorrow’s duel!
Hajime: I still think I can’t fight well without Suou-kun’s advice. I feel like I’m holding everyone back...
Tsukasa: Please, don’t be so pessimistic. In these battles, there is something only you can do.
Hajime: Something only I can do...?
Shinobu: Ahh, do you mean the Reversal? It’s that mysterious system that allows even skilled players to be defeated by new players ♪
Tsukasa: Even so, lonely_wolf is a strong opponent. If we can’t triumph here, we’ll just be doing the same dance all over again.
For the sake of tomorrow, let us fight.
Hajime: ...All right. If all I do is cower away, I’ll always be weak. So I’ll give this the best I’ve got...!