The Ten Amiza fight, the final match.

　The man who showed up in the arena looked like a guitar from a ska band.

　He had black hair and purple mesh. He had black hair and purple mesh, the kind of haircut that a junior high school boy would like.
　He was wearing black leather pants and a leather jacket. Isn't it hot?

　But the face is quite nice. And she's young. Hence, such a "You're not serious?" outfit looks good, at least in part.


"Hey, act yourself.

　We faced each other and greeted each other lightly.
　Then Prince stared at me with even sharper eyes, and said

'Yo, Paci(...) bastard.

　A rip-off?

What?
You stole my torch.
My ...... torch ......?

　Is this a joke?

Stop playing dumb and piss me off. The torch. The one you were using in the last fight. Don't lie to me about finding it out for yourself, you idiot!　There's no way I'm going to discover something like that on my own.

　Ah, the torch.

No, I brought those with me. I asked Yukari to bring a pine branch from the garden.
That's not what I'm talking about!

　What's with this guy? Crunchy. Calcium deficiency?

What's your point?
I'm telling you that you've seen my fights in the winter and you've taken a crack at the torchlight warfare method (・・・・)!


　.........................

　Ho.


'Is that what you're saying, Mr. Prince, that you were the first to discover the use of torch warfare?
'Who else is there but me? I used it for my first Tenmangu shrine battle six months ago. I know I'm the inventor of this thing, but it's common sense.
............
Don't talk. Come on, say something. Come on.
'Do ...... and you'll find out. If you really invented it, you'll know.
What are you talking about?　I thought you were apologizing first.　Are you nuts?　Die.


　If only it were true.

　Yeah, I'm not that happy about it.

　I'll let you off the hook for calling me world number one.


"--Courtesy of each other!　Ready!

　I followed the order and took out my weapon.

　I'm still using the same fluorocarbon 16lb.
　Prince is a spider silk, like Eve.

"Hey!　I'm not done talking to you yet!

　...... Prince. The man is like a child (...).

　He speaks out and loudly asserts his legitimacy, desperately trying to protect the appearance he has built up.

　He's not afraid to cheat a little bit, even if it seems like he's making it up as he goes along, as long as he doesn't get caught, he won't give up in order to become the best.

　He works persistently and persistently in places that people don't see, dresses himself up, creates a cool character, and struggles to be popular somehow.

　And he's so angry. I'm sure he must have gone home after that yesterday and gone crazy all by himself with a bright red face.


　I know what you mean.

　This guy is strong.
　He's stronger than ever before.

　It's really good for netgee.

　Just go to .......


"-- Start!


　Not enough shine.



　　* * * *



'I wasn't sure what it meant. Do you understand, Mr. Kappa?
Are you saying that Second-sama has copied Prince Amiza's tactics?
'No, you don't. Because, Second-sama, I only watched my own title games in winter.
To begin with, he would never imitate a character like that, right?
What do you think, Mr. Kappa?

...... hey, can you stop calling me that for a second?

　At the bleachers, the members of the fan club who were listening to the conversation between Second and Prince were tilting their heads.

　One of them was a woman who was not a member.
　She was the woman in a kappa who had helped Prince to make up his own story.

''Since you haven't introduced yourself for any length of time.
Do you think I'll say my name?
Okay, Mr. Kappa.
............

　A sigh of sighing, a woman of the same name. She seems to have given up.


'By the way, was Prince Tenami sitting so strong?　Even though you didn't copy it, you've developed the kind of tactics that Master Second would use, right?　Wouldn't that be awesome?

　Immediately afterwards, at someone else's questioning, the Goddess looked stunned.

　Then she mouthed it in a way that said, "No way.

''Don't you know about that shock in winter ......?''
Shock?

　Naturally, not everyone in the Second Fan Club knew about it. Because at the time, their interest was already focused solely on Second. None of them had ever seen a Ten Amiza match that didn't feature a second.

　To their reaction, the Aiba woman put her hand to her forehead and opened her mouth, "It's impossible.

Okay?　Let me explain this to all of you fools. Prince-sama, in the Winter Tenmiza Tournament, took the Tenmiza title in all of his matches in the entire tournament without getting hit by a single blow. Do you know how that happened?

　Everyone shakes their heads.

"It's the torch and the dragon's beard.
'Dragon's beard ......?'
'If your opponent's weapon is spider silk, you can't compete with a torch. If your opponent's weapon is a wire, you'll beat him up with a dragon beard. With this tactic, Master Prince became a celestial netherworld.
'I see. ...... Six months ago, no one used hair like Yves did. So the only countermeasure against torches would be a wire. But he said that the dragon beard was the perfect match for that wire. And those dragon beards are hard to find?
'That's true, but the biggest factor is the result of Prince-sama's efforts. The way he fought in the Dragon's Beard, which was designed to be anti-wire, was too perfect. That's why we made it to the Tenmiza unscathed.
So you're a fan.

Don't be such a wuss, you know.　I'm the oldest!

"Wow, Gyakusha.

　The Goda Woman suddenly became furious.
　However, as if they had some idea of what she was talking about, the members of the fan club snapped at her to hear more.

I heard that the number of fans is decreasing, is that related to that?
...... has a lot to do with it. The old-timers were mostly sucked away by your guesses, and now they're all newer nihilists. They're all stupid women who don't understand that Prince-sama is the strongest~, smartest~, strategist~, or anything else!
Uh, .......
'The Prince, you know, isn't like that!　There's something so cute about it that makes you want to protect it, or it's that childishness that makes you feel like a Tenmoza and gets carried away!　The stubbornness, the way she gets upset easily, the way she cheats because she doesn't want to be the best, the way she dresses up with a cool face like she's not trying at all even though she's working hard behind the scenes... it's all so obvious that it's adorable and you can't leave her alone.
...... ah, yes ......
'I would have hated it too!　You made it up as you went along!　But helping out is the weakness of being in love, isn't it?
Yes, I think so. Yes, ......

　It seemed to have opened a Pandora's box.
　The hoarding exploded, and the woman, who had been pent up, sorrowfully revealed her true identity.

　For some reason, the members of the fan club couldn't help but feel sorry for her and comforted her with words of neither pity nor sympathy.

　Finally, to change the subject, one of the members said

'...... Kappa. Um, just a simple question, what about the former Tenmiza?　I mean, other than Second-sama and Eve, I think there should have been contestants other than Second-sama and Eve six months ago, but where did they go?


　And then the call of the referee echoed in the arena.

　Immediately after, the Goddess replied.


''-- You lost the will to fight (・・・・). Because the winter season was just too overwhelming.







　Someone said.

　That [thread manipulation] is a martial art.

　There's no doubt ...... who witnessed the match between these two would think so.

　The [Infantry Thread Manipulation] is the alter ego of the fist. The theory was that they would strike each other with their fists until they stepped into a four-meter distance.

　It was fierce.

　The two sides would not take a step back from each other, and the blows were fierce.

　They swung their arms with all their might, hitting each other with all their might.


'You just hit me!
I didn't hit him, you idiot!
There it is!　What are you cheating?
I didn't hit him!　Usnolo!
'Shit!　Shit!　Shit!
Oh, panting.
Yeah.
There's a gap!
What!　That's not fair!



　Someone thought.

　They were like children, they said.

　They were playing.
　They were playing frantically.

　As if to vent their resentment that they hadn't had a playmate for so long.
　Like a tireless child who forgets everything else and gets lost in it.

　They could play endlessly.
　They could play all the time, with an innocent smile on their faces, but seriously, all the time.


'I'm first!

　We go into a four-meter gap.

　The first move was the second.
　He connected the "Incense Carpenter String Manipulation" to the "Gui Ma Yinjutsu" and took out a torch from his inventory.

　Instantly, the Prince removes the spider silk from his equipment - and equips the Dragon's Beard.

　The reach and flexibility of the spider silk is effective until he enters the Golden General's range. After entering the golden general's range, the reach and firepower of the Dragon's Mustache will be effective.

　The wire is short, and the spider silk has low firepower. It's a weapon that can reach the itchy areas.

"I'm not sure if my fighting style is good enough for me!

　Prince prepared the 《Infantry Thread Manipulation》 and intercepted Second's torch.

　The Second gingerly pulled the thread to the front, and in the nick of time, prevented the Prince's 《Infantry Thread Manipulation》 from severing Gui Ma's thread.

''Fooo! It's dangerous!

　Second cancelled the 《 Gui Ma Yin Manipulation》, letting go of the torch, and taking his distance again.

　Prince saw the situation and changed his weapon to spider silk again.


　Are you scared?

　Prince swings a buzzing, reaching string and provokes.

　When he thinks he has turned it in the air, he drops it to a ground slippery slope, then dives between his legs and buzzes from side to side of his body to boast about his technique while he is ...... killing time.

Heh, that's sweet.

　In response, the second also began to boast about his technique.
　A wild dance of threads that pass through the very edge of her body at high speed, like stroking her natural hair. Suddenly, the audience cheered.

''Nah, this ......!
Not yet.

　Prince is chasing after it, not to be outdone. But instead of letting up, the second one is making it more difficult.

"Shit, it's me, too!
You know, like this, like this.
"Uh, oh, oh, oh!
What is this?
Daaaaah!　Shit!

　The bragging match that began abruptly ended in a victory for the second.

　It was a different class of player. This man is a player who was mesmerized (・・・・・) against the world rankers. He is the world number one.


''Seriously, Mokkai (・・・・)!

　Snickering, Second says.

'Shh, come on, Oraa!

　A redoing of the interval. 《Infantry Thread Manipulation》 fistfight.

　The Prince bashes his fists against each other with gleaming eyes and the Second with an innocent smile.


　A child who wanted to win and couldn't bear to win, and a child who was having fun and couldn't bear to have fun.

　When two kids are together, it was a given that they would play.



"Those two, if you leave them alone, they'll never stop doing it.

　In the audience, Raspberry Belle muttered, smiling.

'Really,' returned Sylvia.

　But somewhere along the line, the girls were looking at them enviously.


　'As you grow up, you see more and more things and vice versa.

　It was kind of refreshing to come full circle, to be able to bare yourself like that, to be so absorbed in the game.

　The essence of being number one in the world is a childlike spirit. The essence of the world's best player is childishness, a child who is not concerned with his surroundings, who doesn't want to look good, who doesn't think about anything else, who is absorbed in the game.

　That's why they are so resistant to chaos.



　　* * * *



I'm first!

　Now, come on, that's twice in the golden zone. Why are you coming?　Prince.

I'll have the real thing!

　I knew it was the "Gui Ma Yin Manipulation". In addition, a weapon switch to the dragon beard and a torch at the tip of it. So that's complete, huh?

　But it's not a dark cloud. By shifting the first incense wheel a little late and adding the Silver General afterwards, he was able to generate time for the weapon conversion. Instead, the katsuma is delayed a bit, but in the end, you're arguing that the wire doesn't have enough reach and there's probably no way to prevent it from happening with any thread other than the dragon beard.

　I see. It's a true joseki-tei. Well thought out.


...... sorry.

　That's why you're different.

　Hey, you're not. Prince. You're not.


I'll tell you what.

　Did you find the torch?　I don't suppose my strategy would work for me?　Say it stupid.


'This is how a real torch measure works.'

!


　Preventing it by replacing it with a dragon beard is nonsense. A measure that aims to prevent is not a measure. That's a stopgap measure.

　A countermeasure can only be called a countermeasure when you get to the point where you can say, "I can't use a torch if I have that kind of skill.


What the hell?

　Prince's astonished voice rang out.

　I wonder why?　It's weird for me too. But it happens, so I can't blame you.

　--Fluorocarbons don't run out (・・・・) quickly enough. It's so much more than being oiled by a fire.

　This may be just because of the very game-like reason ...... yes, that all the threads except for the wire and the dragon beard are set up to break quickly in the fire, and the fishing line is not set up that way.

　But the fact is, this characteristic of not being able to cut quickly was a perfect countermeasure to the torch.

　The thread itself is a countermeasure. The first person to discover the usefulness of the torch, Mr. Arrogant, must have been astonished.

　In addition, the 16lb line is very strong, resistant to stretching, heavy, and highly abrasion resistant, all of which add up to a perfect balance of ease of use. It's a very sensitive feel that no other thread can match. That's why I prefer to use this fluorocarbon 16lb, even if it has less firepower and a shorter reach than other softer lines.


　Now, when it comes down to it, what happens when a fluorocarbon 16lb line with a slightly greater reach than the Dragon's Mustache is not easily broken by torchlight fire?

d*mn it ......!

　The Silver General Thread Manipulation allows him to unilaterally cut the threads of his opponent's Gui Ma Thread Manipulation.

　With a blur, the Prince's torch fell to the ground, and the Prince suffered rigidity after the Gui Ma Cutting.


''The fun time is over.''

　We'll miss you. Prince.


'I thought you cracked it: ......?　No way, you really discovered ......?

　The stunned Prince is muttering to himself.

　I activated the Golden General String Manipulation and restrained the Prince.

　Then I start preparing the Dragon King Thread Manipulation.



''Prince-kun, someone taught you how to do this.

!


　Bingo.

　...... Yeah.


　I knew it, man, you're different.

　You're supposed to have a more gung-ho, sensible style. Don't use the rules of engagement, don't use your head. Don't use your head. You're not like that. You must have enjoyed the game more out of instinct. You would have been playing frantically. You would have had more of a glow in your eye.

　Don't get hung up on appearances. Don't worry about looking good. Just focus on having fun. You can focus on more. Think back to when you were a kid. You're not that kid. You're not like that.


You're awesome. You've got great taste, top-notch technique, you're quite something. You lost because you couldn't see my countermeasure against the torch, and you weren't used to fighting with a string that had a longer reach than yours. I'm sure you've figured that out already. You're strong. Totally strong. But you're only ...... strong. That's not the style for you. There's a better way for you to be yourself.
...... Shut up!
'Your method of replacing that dragon beard of yours, called Tsundere Warfare (・・・・・・).
!

　The moment I said those words, Prince's eyes widened in surprise.

''Li, you know Dr. Linlin?!
Who is that? I don't know who he is.
...... Huh?
I know that I'm not-- Oh, no, no.

　The guys in this world were all "sub-characters" except for Mr. Takahashi, weren't they? So it's only natural that their names have changed. Besides, if they had been using their original names, they would have been conspicuous by now. In other words, he could be working under a fake name and daring to be inconspicuous.

　The person named Linlin, who taught Prince the torch and tsundere warfare techniques. Definitely a player (・・・・・). It's also, if my prediction is correct, my well known World Ranker (・・・・・・).


''Listen, don't let this Linlin fellow fool you. You've got your own way of having fun. So don't get too attached to ...... winning. That's all I'm trying to say. I'm sorry to go on for so long.
............

　Preparations for the 《Long King Thread Manipulation》 are finished.
　Prince silently listened to the last part of the story.

　Even if it was just for a short while, we were able to laugh and play with each other from the bottom of our hearts.

　And I'm sure Prince felt comfortable with that, too, I believe.

　That's why I had to meddle a little bit with this new friend.



'--That's it!　Winner, second first test!


　Sixth crown.


　Well, I'll leave it at that: .......

'Cheating is cheating, you know.'

　I'll strip the unconscious Prince down to his underpants and write "I'm sorry I made it up myself trying to show the girls how it's done" in grease pen on his body.


　I'll forgive you for calling me a clown.