Lilith seems like a child with a wealth of life experience.
“I heard. You were confessed to by Natsume at the cafeteria?”
While slurping down Kakiage Soba, Lilith said so with a gloomy expression.
Despite taking a heavy mental blow from the Houou Genma Ken at the crack of dawn, I silently continued my training.
When I returned to change at noon, this was the first thing I heard.
Are they all trying to break my spirit?
“It’s a nasty prank. It’s not just Lilith who has a bad personality. Do you have extra Kakiage Soba for me?”
Lilith prepared the Kakiage Soba using psychokinesis and offered a skeptical opinion.
“…A prank, you say? I wonder? You might have been serious after all.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a trick women often use. They confess, and if the reaction isn’t good, they run away saying it was a joke. It’s old-fashioned, but it’s still somewhat effective.”
Just how experienced a child are you with life?
While eating the Kakiage Soba Lilith prepared, I turned on the 3D TV and switched to the news.
“…This is an emergency broadcast. Imperial Princess Stinrose Ringvolt has formed an organization called the Rose Cross Army. It is unprecedented for such a young and immature girl of only 16 to command an entire army, but some view it as a sign of the Mechanist Army’s severe lack of personnel…”
Rose… so it was serious after all. No, I already knew she was serious. Her eyes, filled with that strong will, had told me so.
The phoenix has broken free and begun to spread its wings… Will this be good or bad for us…
“Stinrose is the princess the Warrant Officer saved in the forest, right? Did you say something to her?”
“I might have said something, but the outcome would have been the same. It just sped things up a little.”
Even if she hadn’t met me, Rose would have chosen the same path. That’s the kind of princess she is.
“Is that so? Your influence is greater than you think, you know.”
“Please call it influence. More importantly, I need you to handle things while I’m gone…”
I was told about the schedule for the Laboratory visit by Lieutenant Colonel Kurando while I was running.
“I don’t know where you’re going, but I’m coming too!”
“I’m going to the Laboratory. About my unique constitution that I mentioned before, it seems I can’t hide it anymore.”
“So your Nenshin Strength has increased again?”
“Yeah. So I discussed it with the Commander, and we concluded it’s better to declare it and pretend to cooperate if I can’t hide it. So I have to provide samples and participate in some experiments.”
“That’s wise. But it’s not a reason to keep me from going!”
“The Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Kurando will be with me this time. If something happens where we can’t return, then we won’t be able to return anyway.”
“Then I should be able to go too!”
“I want you to create a prototype of the Tactics Plan while I’m gone. It seems to be in the preparation stage, but I want to finish reviewing and training before the Breakstorm Operation begins. This is a matter of life and death for our survival. Do you understand?”
Lilith nodded with a reluctant expression.
“Alright. I’ll create plans up to the company scale.”
“I’m leading a platoon, you know?”
“If you achieve results, or if you think Asuna or Marika can do it, you’ll be ordered to command a company right away.”
“Is that so… No, it’s not impossible, is it…”
“Of course it is. Frankly, you can be a captain just by being strong. Look at Unit 4, you know?”
“Unit 4 might be like that, but… I don’t think I can compare to other unit captains.”
“There are 32 company captains at the Garden, but I don’t think many of them could beat you in a real fight, Warrant Officer? Not only is your combat ability terrible, but you also have a cunning and malicious mind. Becoming a company captain is just a matter of time.”
“And I have a brilliant, pint-sized staff officer with me. I’m counting on you, Lilith.”
“When you become a company captain, invite Natsume too. Otherwise, she’ll sulk again, you know?”
“Sulk?”
“Didn’t you realize why Natsume got aggressive? She thought she’d be asked to join if you formed a unit, but you ignored her, so she was sulking. And then seeing you flirting with a blonde with big breasts right in front of her, she’d get angry, of course.”
“No way.”
“…Warrant Officer, even if you’re a virgin and uncircumcised, you’re too dense. Shed that skin, just like your foreskin.”
I’m a virgin, but I’m not uncircumcised!
After finishing lunch, I headed to the outdoor training ground for the second stop of my hell tour, where my “older sister,” Abby, was waiting.
I was greeted by a familiar face outside the Barracks Building. Kotone, the beauty from Kyoto.
“Kanata-han, it’s been a while. We’re comrades from now on, so please be nice to me.”
“The pleasure is all mine. You were promoted to Warrant Officer just like me, congratulations. And that unit insignia… you were assigned to Rinsei, weren’t you?”
“Yes, indeed. The Company Captains are all women, so it’s easy to work with.”
Rinsei is like a women’s Shinsengumi.
“Then you weren’t assigned to Asuna’s unit?”
“That’s right. Kanata-han, you seem to be involved in some shady group, but if I catch you, I’ll arrest you without hesitation, okay? My position is the Vice-Captain of Asuna’s unit.”
Scary, scary. Have I gained another enemy?
“I’ll be careful. I’d go to the special brig any number of times, but I’d rather not end up in a regular brig.”
“Kanata-han, please get promoted quickly. Otherwise, Shion-han won’t be able to get promoted from Sergeant anymore even though she cleared the Officer Curriculum!”
“That’s surprising. Shion said she doesn’t get along with you?”
“At Ligrit, Shion-han was being stubborn, so I said something mean. I don’t actually dislike her.”
“Is that so? That’s good. I can’t keep Abby-san waiting any longer, so I’m off. See you.”
“Take care.”
I waved goodbye to Kotone, who exuded her usual gentle aura, and hurried towards the training ground.
At the outdoor training ground, Abby, holding Pile Bunker in both hands, and two muscular team members were waiting for me.
“You’re here. Kanata, I’m not good at holding back. Be prepared for a rib or two to break.”
Geez. Just as the cracked ribs from Bakkura-san healed, they’re likely to crack again.
“If it’s just my ribs, I’ll consider myself lucky. Please, let’s start.”
“Alright, bring it on!”
Today’s lesson is countermeasures against heavyweights. The situation has been simulated. Shall I try it in practice!
I sparred with Abby for about an hour.
I lost, but it was a closer match than I expected. The result was roughly as simulated.
“She has the power of a heavyweight, but her speed is faster than a regular lightweight. Plus, she has an Evil Eye. Kanata, you’re a good match for me. If I’m not careful, I could lose, you know.”
Abby complimented me while wiping sweat with a towel.
I want to take it at face value, but in the end, I was overpowered by her overwhelming strength.
They say brute force is also a form of technique.
“I still have a lot to learn. Abby-san, what did you think of my tactics?”
“She didn’t engage in a power struggle. She exploited the openings in attacks that tend to be wide and followed up with quick strikes. Instead of destroying her sturdy body, she aimed to destroy the brain, which cannot be trained with her Wolf Eye. The tactics Kanata employed are logical. So, for now, this is good. When you gain more power, other options will open up.”
“Other options?”
“If you gain complete compatibility like Agito, or something close to that level of power, you could aim to destroy the body while using the Wolf Eye as a lure. Even now, you could do that against an average heavyweight. Most heavyweights are clumsy in their movements. Want to try? There are some clumsy heavyweights right there.”
“That’s harsh, Sis,” “Only your personality is clumsy?”
The two muscular men grumbled at Abby’s harsh assessment.
“Who knows? Kanata, how about you give our clumsy guys some training? That’s why I brought them.”
“Me, training the Sledgehammer team members…”
“I trained you, didn’t I? It’s a give and take.”
“Understood. I’ll try.”
“You heard her, you guys. Teacher Kenrou will train you. You better take this seriously? If you win, I’ll pay for your drinks for a month.”
“Sis, I heard you clearly?” “It’s for the drinks. Prepare yourselves, kid.”
The two muscular men, wielding massive hammers befitting their team name, were fully motivated.
Against Abby, who had high Nenshin Strength, I used my Wolf Eye without hesitation, but I’ll seal it against these two.
I’ll probably win even then.
The two muscular men attacked with full force. They weren’t underestimating me because I’m a kid.
Of course, they had seen me training with Abby.
But even so, I had room to spare. These two, as Abby said, were clumsy in their movements.
I dodged their heavy hammer attacks as much as possible, making small, quick counterattacks.
No need to rush. I’ll chip away at them little by little.
“Stop fidgeting around! Take this!”
He stepped in for a wide swing, and I waited for this positional relationship!
I ducked under the hammer and, the moment it passed overhead, landed a powerful kick to the handle!
“Wha—!” “Whoa! Wait!”
The hammer, propelled by its momentum, struck his partner in the chest, sending him flying cleanly.
“You were aiming for that! You little brat!”
As a counterattack, I dodged the charging hammer and delivered the second move, Hishou Yousougeki, from the air.
The muscular man, who received a blow to the head akin to a skull split, fell backward in slow motion.
“…Pathetic. You fell right into my trap. You’ll be punished later.”
Abby effortlessly slung the two unconscious men over her shoulders.
“So, Kanata. Tomorrow, Ikkaku will teach you countermeasures against fist techniques. Oh, wait, it’s ancient martial arts, not fist techniques? Well, either way.”
“Thank you very much!”
Abby waved over her shoulder and left the training ground.
Even carrying two muscular men, each weighing over 100 kilograms, she didn’t seem to be burdened at all.
Tomorrow, it’s “Iron Fist” Ikkaku. I need to head back to my room and simulate.
