Volume 1 Chapter 3 (Part 1): VS 【slit-mouthed woman】battle
┌─────────────────┐
│【 Enemy's Data File ① 】 │
│★ Slit-mouthed Woman │
│・Strength【B】 │
│・Attack Power【B】 │
│・Defense Power【B】 │
│・Speed【A】 │
│・Brain Battle【32%】 │
│ ★Features★ │
│Mouth is slit. │
└─────────────────┘
Feeling that I wanted to leave such a place early, I decided to start the battle for the time being.
First of all was to verify the game screen.
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【Turn/Offense Side】
It is your turn to attack.
Please select a command.
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Offense side……?
According to the words, it meant that I could attack right?
But what was 'side'?
Since I guessed that I was on the offense side, I tried to look at the commands I could select.
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【Command List】
･Charge
【Charge the Critical Gauge】
･High Attack
【Misses when the opponent selects 'Duck'】
･Low Attack
【Missess when the opponent selects 'Jump'】
・Conversation
【Changes the value of the Fear Resistance】
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Damn it……
Since I came without looking at the help section, there were several parts which I couldn't understand.
Firstly, what I could understand was that in the initial turn, the offense side is me.
Since the opponent has defense commands such as 'Duck' and 'Jump', the enemy would probably be on the defense side.
The defense side and offense side commands varied.
I could roughly predict this based on the hints from the explanation on the selection screen on my game console.
Furthermore, this match should probably proceed by taking turns between the 'Offense side' and 'Defense side'.
And one more thing.
Supposing if I were to try selecting 'High Attack'.
At this time, if the opponent were to select the 'Duck' command……
The attack would definitely not land.
If it's other than that, I can imagine the attack hitting the mark.
In other words, even if you stood on the offense side, it didn't necessarily mean that you must definitely whittle away the opponent's stamina.
It's just that there was that possibility.
To put it the other way round, as long as you could read the opponent's moves, you could even win without getting injured.
――I see now.
It was no doubt a brain battle.
To what extent could I read the opponent's moves?
It was essential for this to become the 'keypoint' in order for me to win.
I looked towards the game screen again.
The opponent probably knew for certain that I was a beginner……
I could also understand that from her provocative tone at the start.
【Low・High Attack】
These are commands that beginners who know nothing would easily choose.
I also knew mentally that beginners will first simply choose a command that they can comprehend.
Since there is an inclination towards the aforementioned.
――In that case, I should certainly avoid these.
There was a high risk that the opponent could read my moves.
If it came to that……
"……I've decided."
I removed my hand from Nightmare and slowly raised my head.
As I did that, the slit-mouthed woman grinned as her mouth uncannily became less tense.
And then she muttered briefly.
"……Screen………"
Eh?
…Scr…een?
By that……
She was telling me to look at the screen?
……Yup, I couldn't think of anything else other than that.
I shifted my eyes to the screen's display as I was told.
The screen's display which I looked towards featured mini avatars of me and the slit-mouthed woman's character.
Although there were definitely no spectators, within the building which was constructed like an arena, there stood two characters who seemed to be glaring at each other……
The duel starts now.
That kind of mood already hung in the atmosphere.
I compared both the slit-mouthed woman in front of my eyes and the slit-mouthed woman mini character on the screen.
Somehow……
The mini avatar of the slit-mouthed woman was maybe a little cute.
If I was thinking about such unnecessary things……
The screen's display switched and the battle results according to the previously selected commands were displayed on the screen.
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《Command Input Results》
【Mai/Offense side】
Conversation
《★★★》3/3
Critical Gauge
×Blue×Yellow×Red
【Slit-mouthed woman/Defense side】
Duck
《★★★》3/3
Critical Gauge
×Blue×Yellow×Red
※《★★★》＝Stamina
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Then, at the next moment, our mini avatars on the screen started to move.
Firstly, my character ran towards the slit-mouthed woman's character.
The slit-mouthed woman's character ducked when my character drew near before her.
It looks like she is trying to avoid an attack from the upper region.
But……
The command I had selected is 'conversation'.
Of course, I am not going to attack.
My character suddenly stopped running and stood exactly in front of the slit-mouthed woman.
――It was within my expectations.
That's right.
I didn't select an attack command but purposely selected what I understood the least.
I was shouting 'alright!' in my heart as I became a little proud.
As if the slit-mouthed woman felt that my selected command was beyond expectations, she was revealing a shocked expression on her face.
"……I didn't think that would come. Hee hee, I got caught at an unexpected place……"
The slit-mouthed woman glared at me in silence.
How should I say it, the look in her eyes is scary.
Even now, it seems like it was unleashing its attack on me.
Under that intensity, I somewhat winced.
Thereupon, the slit-mouthed woman spoke up again.
"You're quite good. I thought that I could defeat you more easily. But……, I know that I am going to win for this match. ……The one who is going to lose is you……"
As the slit-mouthed woman slowly pointed at me, she giggled as if she was scoffing at me.
With an attitude as if I had been treated like an idiot, even I will become offended.
"We still won't know about something like that!"
――I mean, isn't that the case?
The battle had just started.
The probability that I can win should be more than enough.
I covered my ear with my left hand in order to block the slit-mouthed woman's unpleasant laughter even if it's just a little.
Then, I looked at Nightmare's game screen which I was holding in my right hand.
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【Conversation selection】
Mai-sama's 'conversation' command was successful.
You will take an action against the slit-mouthed woman.
Please choose.
《Options》
★Threaten【Fear: 50 up】
Success rate…50%
★Glare【Fear: 30 up】
Success rate…70%
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Which should I choose out of these two?
But, my hands came to a stop at this juncture.
…….Exactly which should I choose?
I did not have the knack and knowledge for a brain battle.
I did not know anything at all.
Just then, as I was feeling troubled by it,《There is 1 player who wishes to spectate》was displayed on the upper region Nightmare's screen.
Eh?
Spectate?
'Spectate' probably meant that someone would be observing the match that I was fighting in.
That kind of thing could also be done……?
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『Do you permit the spectator?』
【YES/NO】
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Since I was asked such a question, I selected 【YES】without hesitation.
As I thought, it was discomfiting to be alone.
I decided that it would be better to have someone around.
The next moment, a shadow of the person slowly walked towards this direction from the depths of the darkness.
I verified with the Nightmare game console display in my hand and not the screen.
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【Processing Complete】
Player who wishes to spectate/1 person
You summoned Asagi Taisuke-san to the same field.
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That was displayed on the game console display.
――Eh?
Asagi Taisuke……?
Asagi, Taisuke……
Taisuke……?
Eh?
It somehow feels like I have heard it somewhere before……
I mulled over it.
――Ah……
I got it, it's that person!
The person who attached CP via mail!
A man slowly came walking out from the depths of the darkness.
As he drew closer, I could gradually see his face more clearly.
……！
What, what is, this……
What, what should I do?
I unconsciously puckered my face.
…….He has dishevelled hair which had not been looked after and large black-rimmed spectacles.
Furthermore, he is wearing a worn-out jersey from his schooldays.
From his outer appearance, he's classified as what is called a quintessential otaku……
――No.
The problem is not here.
Besides, I admit that I'm an otaku.
If not for those people, Japan's culture would not have progressed up until here.
Pursuing one particular matter so thoroughly is an amazing thing.
I think that was what a school teacher was saying in the past.
Well then, where is the problem?
That's the jersey he is wearing.
Sordid……
It's too sordid……!
No, there's even a scale for being sordid?
It is clear that his jersey is turning yellow.
Furthermore, there was also a considerable number of stains that were caused by spillage during eating.
The next moment, our voices totally overlapped simultaneously.
"Hello"
"……Please wash!!"
Thereupon, the youth in jersey……I mean, Asagi-san, raised his voice as if he was shocked.
"……Eh?"
This was our first conversation……
I gave the dumbfounded Asagi-san a sidelong glance and continued again.
"I am apologetic that I'm saying such a thing during our first meeting, but that jersey is too sordid! When did you wash it!?"
I shouted in a loud voice.
Thereupon, Asagi-san checked the jersey he was wearing.
"Hm? Ahh, this? ……When huh. Ahaha, I forgot."
Forgot!?
Wha, what a person……!!
From my intuition, I thought that it surely had not been washed for more than one year.
……。
Well, even if were within my expectations, it's not that I was completely happy though……
"……Hey, more importantly," Asagi-san suddenly stared at me intently.
"……What, what is it?"
'Was there something strange stuck to my face?' I thought as I touched my face with my hand.
Asagi-san saw my appearance and sighed softly.
"Ah, no…… It's not that. I have indeed told you right? That you should not battle."
……！
I was taken aback.
I had indeed been told that.
"Umm, I am sorry……"
I felt the awkwardness of not listening to the warning and lowered my head to apologize.
Asagi-san shook his head.
"It's alright. It's just that I wanted you to discuss before that. Even though I could have been of help to you."
As he said that, he scratched his head.
This person……
He was maybe a rather good person.
Although it may be simple of me to feel that way just form this conversational exchange.
Translator Corner:
Let me see if I can speed up the releases within each chapter T^T