into another attack, Nikka a.s.saulted from below as if trying to gouge the ground. I thought his attack was over after the ‘meteor’ hit the ground, but it seems there’s more to it. He approached Hekaton with a terrifying speed.
I’m curious, can Hekaton really not counterattack? When he took that blow from Nikka…
He was smiling.
“Onii-chan!”
Ritta was in the front row, and she looked like she was praying as she watched. Attack after attack, Nikka wasn’t giving any room for Hekaton to fight back. I’ve been hearing “the match is over” from the spectators around me, but I see it differently. Hekaton has been smiling this whole time. That isn’t the face of defeat.
“Kukuku…as I thought, that’s all you have. Oooorah!”
Hekaton suddenly swung his hammer and hit Nikka dead on from the side. He couldn’t dodge in time. (TL:あっけなく、当たった。) Blood spewed from Nikka’s mouth as he flew to the edge of the platform.
“Ugh-!”
“Ooh? I hit you it seems. Maybe it was a fluke? Kuku…”
No, that was calculated. Nikka’s attacks come in a straight line. Once you get used to it, it would be simple to read his trajectory. If he was faster things might be different, but there’s no creativity to his attacks. Nikka couldn’t move due to the immense pain. Hekaton slowly approached him and brought his hammer down onto Nikka’s arm.
“GYAAAAAAH!”
“Ooh, I managed to hit you again! Today sure is my lucky day!”
“U-uaaaa”
That attack from earlier should have decided the match. Why hasn’t it been stopped?
“That’s right while we’re here, why don’t you wish on that star of yours? Although, it doesn’t matter since I will be winning this match!”
Nikka’s other hand was smashed. He couldn’t cry out this time, he had fainted from the pain. Both of his arms were crushed and minced.
“That guy-!”
“Idiot, if you interrupt you’ll be disqualified!”
“But Amane-san! If this continues then Nikka will die!”
“The referee should be stopping it!”
The referee was standing behind Hekaton. Why?
“Onii-chan, please give up already! Please!”
That’s right; he has to surrender. It’s not a match anymore.
“Oi! Ref! Stop the match!”
“Really? You don’t see anything and you want the match to end?”
What does he mean by that…? Standing in front of the referee…wait… That guy…
“This is pretty unpleasant to look at. Is your leg the problem?” (TL:「ひゅんひゅんと目障りな奴だぜ。この足が悪いのか？」)
Hekaton pressed his hammer onto Nikka’s leg. Slowly putting pressure on until it started to become crushed, just to deliver more pain. (TL: 潰すか潰さないかのギリギリのところで苦痛を与えている。)
“Onii-chan! Nooooooo! Someone! Someone!”
Ritta jumped down from the spectator seat.
“You there, if you want to see an insect flying about, there are better places than this you know. How did this thing reach A-rank anyways? I’m being kind and doing you a service like this, making sure you can’t become an A-rank again. You won’t have to die if I do this, right? Is that your sister making all that racket? How pitiful, to have such a careless brother.”
I can’t stand seeing Ritta crying any more. I don’t care if I’m disqualified. Just as I was about to jump out at Hekaton, the referee slowly walked to Hekaton and declared him the winner.
“Hey hey! You didn’t hear him surrender did you?”
“I can’t let this go on anymore.”
The referee replied in a monotone voice. Jeers could be heard coming from the spectators. Drink caps and trash were being thrown at Hekaton
“Don’t partic.i.p.ate in this again you murderer~!”
“I’ll never let you take a quest from me!”
You can hear a lot of curses and insults being thrown at Hekaton. Why did he go so far? What’s wrong with him? I want this clenched fist of mine to meet his face.
“J-just what do you think of that, s.h.i.takka-san?”
“This result was determined from the beginning. Nikka’s potential wasn’t very high in the first place. Hekaton’s experience won this fight, just like I said.”
“Do you even remember what you said yourself a short while ago!?”
The reporter and commentary tried to lighten things up a bit, but they couldn’t settle down the crowd. The 2nd match will be in about 15 minutes. I saw Nikka being carried out on a stretcher with Ritta rushing over, so I followed them.
Both of Nikka’s hand and legs had plaster on them. It looked really pitiful. There were a lot of healers and priests at the clinic that used Medical magic.
“Onii-chan…Even though I said not to…why…?”
“I’m sorry Ritta…I couldn’t show you my courage.”
“Courage?”
“I was a bad brother when we were young. I lost every fight and couldn’t study well. Isn’t it painful for you to have such an idiotic brother? Despite all that, I managed to become A-rank. It’s a small thing, but I wanted to be a brother you could be proud of…I wanted to show you the results of my hard work with that fight….but I wasn’t even able to do that, was I? I wanted to become a splendid brother…haha…It seems I was just an annoyance, huh?”
“I don’t think of you as annoying, not one bit! But I can’t stand seeing Onii-chan in such danger…Please, just understand my feelings…”
Ritta cried while laying her head on her brother’s chest. Nikka was gently brushing Ritta’s hair. I see. Everything was for Ritta. I was partic.i.p.ating for myself…Nikka was doing it for someone else. To become a brother his younger sister could be proud of… Even though we didn’t fight, I feel like I’ve lost to this person.
“So you were here, Ryua.”
“Seigel-san…Roel and Cynthia as well.”
“Ryua-chan, how is Nikka doing?”
“I didn’t expect so many visitors…Well, I still have a long way to go before I reach my limit. I don’t think those words are what I need to say to myself though…hahaha…”
Seigel approached Nikka and brushed his hand along the plaster. His eyes had hate, sorrow, and tiredness dwelling within them.
“Hekaton…for you to go this far…”
“Just watching made me so angry! How is someone like that an adventurer!? That man is just a scoundrel! Everyone watching was angry as well!”
Cynthia was stomping her feet in anger. Roel couldn’t speak upon seeing Nikka’s condition.
“That guy is strong, and he has achievements. That’s why.”
“Regardless of achievements, I don’t want someone like that to be my escort!”
“That guy’s specialty is bounty hunting. He takes quests like that.”
“That’s right.”
Hekaton was standing at the entrance to the room. He had a mocking smile on and entered the room nonchalantly. I won’t let him near Nikka again. I blocked Hekaton’s path as he approached Nikka’s bed.
“Ooh, what’s this?”
“Get out.”
“Such a young kid is going to protect him? I heard the entire conversation from earlier you know. Such a sad story. You’re actually quite splendid. Nevertheless, with limbs like that you can’t do anything anymore, can you? You’ll be nursed by your sister for the rest of your life! Hahahahahahahahahaahha-”
I seized his collar. Even though Ritta was crying and couldn’t talk back, I won’t just let Hekaton say what he wants. I won’t forgive this guy.
“What do you think you’re doing? Take your hand off me.”
“You’re not human-!”
Just as I was about to strike Hekaton, Seigel held my arm and shook his head.
“Settle this during the match.”
It wasn’t a joke. He was serious. Although he’s not wrong. If I lashed out here, then it won’t change anything. I slowly let go of Hekaton, and he laughed triumphantly.
“The match huh…? Yeah. Lose to me, or prove you’re the genuine article.”
Hekaton burst into laughter again while he left. I don’t think I could get any more infuriated with him. I’ll teach you your place.
“Isn’t your match soon?”
That’s right. I need to hurry. My opponent is Amane-san…I wonder how she fights? I have no idea what to expect, but my mind is currently dominated by the thought of beating Hekaton down.
As I walked into the corridor I pa.s.sed by a shadow. I didn’t have the time to stop and look, but I’m pretty sure it was Inoro. Why is he here? I only saw his face briefly, but his eyes seemed cold. I just let it go as I rushed to the coliseum entrance.
There was someone staring from behind, but whenever she turned around there was n.o.body there. Roel kept turning around each time she felt the chill.
“Roel-chin, what’s wrong?”
“Err, nothing. We need to hurry before Ryua-chan’s match starts!”
Roel left the clinic and double-checked her surroundings. As she thought, n.o.body was there. She concluded it had to be her imagination. Ryua’s match is more important anyways. In the distance, a shadow that went by unnoticed stood and looked at her.