“…You’re saying I should become an instructor?”
“Yes, and that will settle things regarding this matter.”
It was a directive from the President.
The task was to fight Instructor Kio.
But not just a mock battle or a match. I was ordered to engage in a genuine, full-powered, life-or-death struggle, a real combat scenario, where I would face the instructor after he had defeated all the General Candidates.
I had fought many battles since joining this company, but I was told to win against an opponent I had never once defeated. It was quite an impossible request.
I glanced from the President to Instructor Kio, and saw the instructor smiling with amusement, as if this was becoming an interesting story. In contrast, a heavy atmosphere was descending within me.
“President, surely you’ll explain why?”
“Yes, of course.”
Why would fighting the instructor be the key to settling this matter? I had to know. This wasn’t the time to lodge a complaint. I needed to confirm the President’s true intentions. It seemed Instructor Kio felt the same, though his motivations for wanting to know were different from mine.
I was purely driven by a “why,” while the instructor appeared to be anticipating the subsequent developments. While the Demon Lord’s Army operated on a meritocracy, few were as engrossed in combat as Instructor Kio. The fact that he was of the Ogre Tribe, a special race, might be a factor, but even among them, he was an instructor who reveled in battle. Perhaps he was simply delighted by an environment where he could go all out, legally speaking.
So, it seemed I had been dragged into all of this.
“The selection for the General position this time will not be a tournament system like before. Instead, it will be a complete battle royale.”
“Battle royale, you mean a free-for-all?”
That… was quite a reckless thing to suggest. A free-for-all would involve not just skill, but also luck.
“That’s essentially it. All participants will be rivals competing for the General position. In other words, we’ll gather enemies in one place.”
Moreover, unlike one-on-one combat, you would often be facing multiple opponents. There would be a constant threat of danger.
“To be precise, everyone is an enemy, and in a way, a potential ally. It’s a battle royale between the selection candidates and Raidou. Whoever defeats Raidou will be appointed the next General. So, there’s a possibility that the candidates will cooperate with each other. A possibility of cooperation, you see.”
“I see, so if you let them know the content in advance, you can encourage those stubborn old geezers to prepare.”
“Yes, you won’t have any complaints about this, will you?”
I had plenty of complaints. Even if I participated, as an individual, I would have to survive in a place that was essentially a battlefield, all on my own. Why did I have to fight the instructor while constantly worrying about my back? To win against the instructor, I had to concentrate all my senses and fight with my full strength. Even without worrying about my back, the chance of winning was even less likely than hitting the lottery jackpot. I believed I was improving my skills, but could I fight while being wary of those looking to profit from my struggles?
I wanted to expose all my thoughts to the President with all my might, but the one he truly wanted to address wasn’t me, but probably those old men who were a thorn in his side. Oh no. I had a terrible premonition. I suspected the President was about to give me an outrageous order.
The President was trying to eliminate obstacles all at once. The position of General and the instructor were the bait for that. However, this setup alone was somewhat insufficient, so I was added as another piece of bait… Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve felt such irrationality.
“Ah, no way.”
There is. There absolutely is. The instructor would have no complaints, as he could go all out, but I would face the risk to my life. I couldn’t easily agree to this. Honestly, in terms of income, I was earning more than ten times my previous annual salary per month. I had no complaints about the work itself. I got along well with my Party Members, like Kaido, and my colleagues in the division. I truly had no need to take on any more risks. If I remained at the level of a division chief, my future life would be secure.
Besides, could I handle more personnel than I currently do? Could I manage them? If I became a General, I would need to lead an organization of tens of thousands, possibly tens of thousands, from its current scale of several dozen people. As a former Salaryman, I had no such experience. I would have to learn from scratch. Naturally, those who declared themselves General Candidates would be formidable individuals who had received training in such matters. To stand alongside them would be incredibly reckless.
“…”
While the President and Instructor Kio were discussing various things, I was using that information to come up with excuses, but the core issue was my own insecurity about my abilities. Through this job and my interactions with the Demon Lord’s Army, I had seen many sides of things. It wasn’t all fun. I had seen many painful things as well. They were asking if I could bear that, if I could shoulder it. It wasn’t a choice between being able to or not. It was a choice between doing it or not doing it.
If I didn’t want to, I could refuse right here. If I said “I won’t do it” in a single word, this matter would be dropped. And then, this chance would surely never come again. These people believed I was capable and had expectations of me, offering me a chance to become a General. I could feel their sentiment.
“It’s so uncertain, it’s making me itch. In a situation where anyone could become General, winning would secure my position. Plus, if they can defeat me with a surprise attack. The President is being very lenient.”
“Yes, extremely lenient. That’s why, if we deploy Jiro further at that point, they’ll eagerly move to eliminate Jiro, who they consider an obstacle.”
If I won with the reward, I would become a General… From a division chief of one organization to a top executive.
“That’s quite something. Jiro has become quite famous.”
“Yes, I’m also surprised at how much his name has spread, beyond my imagination.”
This is quite a gamble. Logically speaking, I shouldn’t get involved in something so dangerous. I have children, and my body is no longer one that I can do as I please with. My reason is screaming at me. Stop, it’s reckless, it’s too dangerous. I accounted for all possible risks, thought about them, and imagined them further. I apologize to my reason, which knows that even one misstep would lead to a catastrophe.
Forgive me. If my reason cannot deem it impossible, then it is.
“President, there’s just one thing I’d like to confirm.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“If I win on that stage, will I be recognized within the Demon Lord’s Army?”
I had already understood that there was a sufficient chance of winning. Therefore, I couldn’t let this opportunity go to waste. The President, who was waiting for my words with a smile, received a question from me. It was a question I felt was necessary for a certain reason. In this company, making a decision to retreat carries more risk than I initially thought. As the instructors constantly taught us, if you’re underestimated, you’re finished.
“Yes, I can guarantee that. Regardless of species, our army will show respect to the strong.”
This Demon Lord’s Army harbored a distrust of humans. While such a sentiment wasn’t prevalent within the company, I had experienced it firsthand several times upon crossing into the continent. That sentiment would be an obstacle in future interactions with Japan. Someone had to pave the way. So then.
“Is that so? Then there’s no problem. I just need to win.”
The words I needed to say at this moment were less about reason and more about what was in the depths of my gut. I was inherently competitive. I wanted to give an instructor a loss, just once. It felt like a distant past since the day I joined this company. The two instructors I first met told me to quickly become their equal.
“It seems the day I challenge you came sooner than expected, Instructor.”
Remembering that, I turned towards the instructor standing beside me and declared war. The Ogre, who accepted my words head-on, grinned.
“You idiot, you’re late.”
“As fierce as ever.”
The Ogre had always been waiting for my challenge. I was aware I had kept him waiting. However, I thought that day would come much later. With a pat on my back, I was no longer about to fall forward.
“I’m looking forward to it on the day.”
The instructor, as if saying he’d be tempted to fight if he stayed any longer, turned on his heel and left the President’s office, with the President making no move to stop him.
“Is it okay to not stop him?”
“Yes, I’ve conveyed what needed to be conveyed. My subordinate will bring the details later. More importantly, are you alright? You can still withdraw your participation now.”
“Yes, there’s no problem.”
The President, making a joke that it would be problematic if the fighting started there, asked me again if I would become a General. I answered without hesitation.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to gain some prestige here after all.”
“To be able to boast like that to me, you must have a lot of confidence.”
“Conversely, can someone who can’t believe in themselves be a General?”
“Impossible.”
I took a step forward. I would not take a step back. No, I didn’t want to.
“Honestly, I’m surprised. I thought you would be more cautious about this matter. Would you mind telling me why you accepted?”
If I were thinking solely about profit and loss, I would have declined. But now, after experiencing the sting of not being able to reach them, it was a different matter.
“It’s not a difficult reason. I wanted to stop chasing after their backs. That’s all.”
“Oh?”
“…”
Instructor Fushio had gone missing. I was ashamed of myself for being unable to do anything in the face of that fact. I regretted being content with my current position, basking in complacency. I realized I had accepted that it was fine to stay at the top forever, even though they had always told me to stand beside them as equals.
The President let out an impressed sound, and Evia’s lips curled into a slight smile.
“You’re aiming for quite a feat. Their backs are still far away, you know?”
“I’m well aware of that.”
The President didn’t laugh at my bold declaration. Nor did he say it was impossible.
“What about you, President? Do you think you can stand shoulder to shoulder with them?”
“…Your growth in just one year is remarkable. The fact that you can even wound me… just that alone means you possess the strength to be a General.”
However, he didn’t definitively say “you can.” The President seemed to be intentionally giving me an ambiguous evaluation.
“But if you ask me if that growth is sufficient against the current Generals, I would have to tilt my head. It might sound like self-praise, but I’m confident I’ve prepared the best executives in history. In another era, any one of them could have called themselves the Demon Lord. I don’t think you’ll lose so easily.”
These were words spoken from the President’s trust in the Generals. He wasn’t underestimating the Generals’ abilities by assuming I would win easily. His evaluation was fair and accurate.
“There’s nothing in this world that’s absolute, but we can gauge the possibilities. The probability of you winning against Raidou with your current strength… I believe it’s infinitesimally small.”
“It’s not zero, and that’s enough.”
“You might lose your life. Raidou is a subordinate capable of that.”
“I’m not expecting that. I’ll pick myself up with my own strength.”
The President’s evaluation, delivered as a third party, was the same as my own current prediction. Hearing it, I felt relieved. If I could get the words “it’s not zero,” I just had to grasp that less than one percent chance. I smiled at the President, who was casting worried words at me, even though I was the one who brought up the topic.
“Besides, if I run away from here, Evia will lose interest in me.”
“Oh, you’re boasting while I’m right here, aren’t you?”
*Cough!*
Meanwhile, Evia, who was trying to break the atmosphere with a cough, thinking I would worry Suella again, found herself laughing along with the President and me.
“Can I expect great things from you?”
“I thought you spoke to me because you expected them.”
This was the genuine, final confirmation. I nodded without hesitation, and the President nodded back.
“Indeed. Then I shall look forward to your victory.”
“In that case, you should prepare yourself to accompany the instructor in his drunken despair. Instructor Fushio told me that the instructor drinks a lot when he loses.”
“Ah, that’s right. Hmm, will my pocket money be enough?”
He expressed his expectations of me with a kind and steady voice.
Today’s word:
If you try, you can achieve it.
If you don’t try, you cannot.
Thank you for your continued feedback and corrections.
This chapter concludes here. A new chapter begins in the next installment. If you enjoyed it, please leave comments, ratings, and bookmarks.
*The first volume of this novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. The content includes revised and expanded material from the serialization on Shousetsuka ni Narou, with the addition of an unpublished interlude. Please look forward to the new releases!
Thank you for your continued support of this work.
