Normally, the quickest way to investigate what’s happening with the opposing monsters is to send out familiars.
However, since they intended to lose the fourth battle as well, they were unsure of the familiars’ condition afterward.
It would be fine if the familiars returned in the same state they were in before when they reclaimed the lost floors later, but it would leave a bad taste if their condition was vastly different.
Furthermore, the familiars best suited for such reconnaissance roles were the foxes capable of speaking human language.
It would be meaningless if they returned with entirely different personalities.
Of course, there was also the possibility that they would return in their original state, but that was purely speculation, and Kousuke had no intention of forcing his familiars to take such a dangerous risk.
To Kousuke, his familiars were already like family.
Therefore, it was decided that the fourth battle, which they intended to lose anyway, could only be confirmed through the screen, just like the previous time.
It was unclear how much could be confirmed in that state, but since they couldn’t send out their familiars, it was unavoidable for the fourth battle.
Then, the fourth battle began.
Kousuke, checking the opponent’s movements on the screen like everyone else, couldn’t help but mutter, “I see.”
All eyes turned to Kousuke’s mumbling.
“What’s wrong? Did you find a Leader Species?”
Floria asked, to which Kousuke shook his head.
“No, it’s not like that… For now, let’s just watch the battle, shall we?”
“That’s fine, but…?”
Though tilting her head at Kousuke’s contented expression, Floria returned her gaze to the screen.
Seeing Floria like that, Kousuke had an idea.
“Ah, that’s right. Floria, I’m sorry to bother you, but can I entrust the Summoning Circle setup to you?”
“What!? Me?”
Before, Kousuke had been the one setting up the Summoning Circles, but it disrupted his concentration.
To confirm what the opponent was doing, he wanted to leave the setup work to someone else.
Furthermore, entrusting it to Floria was also partly because she had received some strategy training as royalty.
“Yeah. You don’t need to push yourself too hard. It’s fine if we lose somewhat skillfully.”
“No, it’s not that easy to just say that.”
As Floria was hesitating, an unexpected remark came.
“If Mother lacks confidence, shall I do it?”
Mia, who had intervened at that perfect moment, spoke up.
Upon Mia’s words, Floria showed a displeased expression.
“No. Kousuke’s instruction is for me to do it.”
“Is that so? What a shame.”
Seeing Floria’s renewed determination, Mia easily withdrew.
Whether Mia said that to draw out Floria’s eagerness or genuinely intended to take over herself was unknown, but for Kousuke, it was a welcome exchange between the two.
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Although Floria had been reluctant to set up the Summoning Circle in Kousuke’s place, as expected, she was carefully placing them with the objective of “losing skillfully” in mind.
In fact, she might have been placing them more skillfully than Kousuke would have.
However, thanks to that, Kousuke was able to calmly observe the movements of the opponent’s monsters.
“…Now, perhaps?”
Towards the end of the day, Kousuke muttered while watching the screen.
As if in response to his words, a large number of monsters began to pour in from the opponent’s side.
Upon zooming in to check the screen, the situation Kousuke had predicted was unfolding.
“Ah, just as I thought.”
A large horde of monsters was flowing in from the edge of the field.
The opponent had added more monsters.
However, what Kousuke observed was not that, but rather the type of monsters the opponent had sent in.
“Did you find something~?”
Peach, who was sitting next to Kousuke and had overheard his mumbling, turned her gaze towards him for confirmation.
Kousuke nodded in response.
“Yeah. For the time being, I think I’ve figured out the opponent’s objective and what they’re doing.”
“Is that so~? That’s good then.”
“No. It’s thanks to you, Peach. Without your advice, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.”
Thanks to Peach saying, “Aren’t you overthinking it?”, Kousuke was able to calmly observe from a different perspective and understand their actions.
Without that, he might still have been searching for the existence of a Leader Species.
“Oh, no~. If I were just watching the Suppression Battle like everyone else, I probably wouldn’t have noticed either.”
Peach said this humbly, but it wasn’t entirely wrong. The reason Kousuke and the other members mistakenly thought it was a “Leader Species” was largely due to their experience in the previous Suppression Battle.
Shurein, overhearing their conversation, interjected with a frown.
“What? Do you two know the trick?”
“Yeah. Well, roughly. If you look closely, it wasn’t a big deal. I’ll explain after today’s battle is over.”
They had already grasped most of what the opponent was doing.
There was no need to hastily devise a countermeasure now.
“More importantly, we need to confirm what happens if we lose the fourth battle and forfeit one floor’s worth.”
Floria had arranged the Summoning Circles properly to ensure they would lose, so losing this time was a foregone conclusion.
It was already a time when winning would be impossible, even if they frantically set up Intermediate Summoning Circles now.
This would allow them to confirm “what happens if we lose one floor’s worth,” which was Kousuke’s original objective.
After that, all they had to do was hold out until time ran out to avoid being suppressed.
And so, by the end of the day, the opponent’s victory was decided by the time limit.
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As Amamiya Tower lost its fourth battle, one floor’s worth of the field was ceded to the opponent.
In the end, the entire floor that had been initially designated was handed over to the opponent.
Additionally, not only the monsters that were originally on the field but also the monsters summoned during the Suppression Battle were passed on to the opponent as is.
Furthermore, as a bonus, a “hand striking” confirmation request came from the opponent.
“Hand striking” meant that instead of suppressing the entire tower, the match could be concluded at that point if both parties agreed.
At this moment, it would mean the end of the current Suppression Battle with Amamiya Tower having lost one floor’s worth to the opponent.
Of course, Kousuke, who had no intention of ending the battle with floors taken, immediately “refused.”
The number of times this “refusal” could be used in a single Suppression Battle was set at five.
In other words, Amamiya Tower could still refuse the opponent’s “hand striking” request four more times.
Conversely, if they refused four more times and the opponent made a fifth “hand striking” request, the Suppression Battle would automatically end regardless of victory or defeat.
In Suppression Battles, it wasn’t necessary to suppress all floors to reach a conclusion; the “hand striking” system allowed for the battle to end at a chosen moment.
By observing the monsters’ movements in this battle, it was possible to infer the opponent’s objective to some extent.
Furthermore, they confirmed what would happen if they lost one floor’s worth, which was their initial goal, so now all that remained was to reclaim what they had lost.
Kousuke decided that whether to aim for more would be considered at that time.
They lost four battles and precisely forfeited one floor’s worth to the opponent.
Although not written in the text, the management rights of the conceded floor have been completely lost.
Naturally, the teleport gate was also broken, and that was being repaired.
However, Kousuke fully intended to have it returned in the next battle.
