“A request from the Keikokuki…?”
“Ye-Yes!”
When the petite receptionist told him that, Aleu let out a bothered sigh.
“Tch, so I’ve caught the eye of that Kaguya person too. Even when I hold back my power so I don’t stand out, for some reason, I always end up in the spotlight…”
“That’s ’cause you’re strong, Big Bro~”
“Good grief. If I win this match, will I be summoned to the Night Heaven? Sigh, give me a break.”
Aleu shook his head as if he had no choice and headed toward the arena.
The look on his face was one of resignation and…
“I don’t know if I can win the next match. I’m not actually that strong, you know.”
Confidence that contradicted his words.
“Then you shouldn’t go, Loser-Oniisan.”
“…But well, I was curious to see how much I could do right now.”
The self-proclaimed ‘weak’ Aleu furrowed his brow sharply at the provocation from Hresvelgr.
Aleu’s attitude, which didn’t match his words or actions, looked ridiculous even to Hresvelgr.
“How stupid.”
Hresvelgr’s words did not reach him.
■
Two days after the match-up between the rookie fighters was decided.
“Woohoooo! Sleepless City, it’s been so long!”
“Linfa. Don’t go ahead.”
“Leader is too fast!”
“Hurry, hurry! You guys are too slow!”
A red flower was blooming in the Sleepless City.
A girl, her slender and supple limbs wrapped in a crimson qipao, traversed the city—a place usually stained with desire—with a cheerfulness that didn’t fit the atmosphere.
The members of her party, [Furin Senka], followed behind, shaking their heads at their leader’s usual reckless charge.
Level 8 Explorer, Linfa Neville.
A martial-artist type explorer, she is a pure “battle junkie” whose activity policy prioritizes demon hunting over exploring hidden realms.
The alias granted to her by the Empire is 【Kouga】 (Crimson Flower).
One of the top explorers who was given a “Color Name.”
Her destination was the castle keep, the Night Heaven.
“We have been expecting you. Please, come inside.”
“Coming in~!”
“Le-Leader!”
“W-We are very sorry!”
“No, no.”
As the members, flustered by Linfa Neville’s rude attitude, bowed to the guards while chasing after her, she dashed up the keep in the blink of an eye.
Climbing the stairs, which was easy given an explorer’s physical abilities, she found the one waiting for her—
“Kouga, huh. You have done well to come.”
“Kaguya-chan, long time no see!”
“When one spends their days in boredom, it feels as if we haven’t met in years.”
Without turning to look at Linfa Neville, Kaguya leaned her arms on the windowsill overlooking the arena, swinging her legs restlessly as she spoke.
Linfa tilted her head at this unusual behavior.
Since Kaguya usually gave the strong impression of fidgeting with boredom every time they met, she felt a slight sense of mismatch.
It was as if she were waiting for something, unable to sit still.
The members following behind Linfa also looked at each other and shook their heads at Kaguya’s state.
“Kaguya-chan, is it true that Lin can fight in the arena?”
“Yes, if it serves as a distraction from the boredom…”
High-level explorers, mainly from Level 8 onwards, are under a permit system for appearances to prevent predictable matches.
They only participate in exhibition matches held a few times a year at Kaguya’s whim.
But.
“You too, don’t just stay back there, come over here!”
“?”
As expected, Kaguya beckoned Linfa with her back turned, her voice the opposite of bored.
Her voice was bouncy, like that of a girl in love.
“Honestly, I’ve become a total fan after that one fight!”
“Is there someone that amazing…?”
“I don’t even know if they’re ‘amazing.’ It’s just—”
Kaguya buried her face in her arms on the ledge, her beautiful face twisting with anticipation.
“We’re about to find out.”
■
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
When Aleu entered the waiting room inside the arena, a strange atmosphere was swirling within.
The fighters were looking at the shifting odds restlessly, not even glancing at the up-and-coming Aleu who had just walked in.
“Has the prediction become one-sided again? I can’t make money even if I win with odds like that.”
While showing signs of being discouraged, Aleu made wind magic appear in his hand with a lighthearted tone.
However, Hresvelgr called a halt to his words.
“Big Bro, look at that.”
“Hmm?”
Hresvelgr was pointing at the odds table.
The opponent’s name was Hizaki.
It was a name he hadn’t seen or heard of in the past month.
Probably a rookie.
And yet, the content was completely different from what he expected.
“My support rate… 38%?”
For a moment, such a stunned voice leaked out.
For Aleu, who had maintained a support rate of over 80% since his first match a month ago, this was a disadvantageous ratio that felt wrong.
But in the next moment, he lowered his eyes as if regaining his composure.
“We-Well… until now was just weird… I am weak, after all.”
The face of the man who tried to play it off with such refreshing words was distorted with humiliation.
A rookie fighter whose name he didn’t even know was expected to win in a match against him.
For him, that transformed into a spice.
Being at a disadvantage is the greatest setup for catharsis.
No one knows.
This is a match orchestrated by the Keikokuki, Kaguya—the most beautiful woman in the Sleepless City.
She is expecting things from Aleu.
The fame and cheers obtained by overwhelming a strong person who carries everyone’s expectations.
And the flowery praise from Kaguya, the object of everyone’s envy.
He imagined the moment those would be showered upon him.
“——I’ll go in with the mindset of learning from them. I’m weak, after all.”
I’m going to crush him with everything I’ve got. I am strong.
While noticing his twisted, contrarian heart, Hresvelgr narrowed her eyes at the odds table.
“Hizaki… I’ve seen that somewhere before…”
The Fighting Arena, Rising Star Match.
This match was drawing as much attention as the matches of the popular fighters.
The total gold coins in the pot were 9,622 coins.
Unlike the “Dark Pot” matches, gambling where information on the two opposing fighters is somewhat available leaves no room for predictable outcomes.
Aleu Carry, the rising star who continues to build an undefeated legend with overwhelming power.
Hizaki, who left a vivid and powerful impression and track record in the arena in just one match.
The cheers were swirling in the stage, carrying a tone almost close to a roar. Aleu’s cheers were slightly less enthusiastic compared to Hizaki’s. They were showering each other with heat roughly in line with the support rates.
Aleu smiled smugly.
The shock and awe-filled gazes that would be directed at him when these cheers died down—by imagining that, he sublimated this humiliating situation into motivation to pull through.
From the stage of the Colosseum-style arena, the top of the Night Heaven keep, towering as if looking down on them, was clearly visible.
At the top of that castle, designed so that the moon would shine behind it, a peerless beauty was looking down at the fighters as usual.
And, limited to this day, her eyes were shining brightly like the full moon, like a child moved by everything they see.
Beside such a Keikokuki, Kaguya, a particularly conspicuous bright red silhouette was looking down, nestled next to her.
“Whoa, look at that!”
“That… hey, isn’t that Kouga!?”
“Looks like Kaguya-sama invited her. We might see something interesting!”
“This place hasn’t been boring lately!”
The voices of the rough men talking loudly reached Aleu’s ears annoyingly.
While inwardly mocking them, he marveled at the identity of the crimson girl.
【Kouga】. An explorer with a famous “Color Name” in Fortem. She should be Level 8.
Finally, Aleu’s excitement was at its peak. The best stage. The best audience. In short, the best situation.
Aleu Carry’s reversal of life was just about to begin.
“The Rising Star match will now begin.”
The man facing Aleu was wrapped in a gray cloak, his face hidden.
Aleu steadied his breathing at the sight of the man’s standing posture, which showed no caution whatsoever.
I’m being underestimated.
——Even if you realize my strength during the match, it’ll be too late.
“Hresvelgr, let’s go.”
As expected, Hresvelgr gave no response to Aleu’s voice.
“Hey, Hresvelgr!”
Aleu pushed his irritation to the forefront.
Without a single glance at Aleu, the gong for the start of the match rang heartlessly.
And, just before the referee’s voice echoed—
“—Eh, Fu-chan. What are you doing in a place like that…?”
A voice that sounded completely perplexed was directed toward Aleu… toward Hresvelgr, who was hidden in Aleu’s pocket as a ball of light.
“…Huh?”
When Aleu’s questioning voice overlapped with the words the man uttered.
“—Start!”
The referee roared.
■
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