The Showdown Between Kenrou and the Grim Reaper, Who Will Prevail?
I don’t know if it’s me who’s unlucky, or the Grim Reaper, or if we’re both unlucky, but since we’ve ended up in this situation, it’s a soldier’s fate to settle the score with strength.
“I’m defeated. I can’t land a single hit. You’re quite skilled, aren’t you?”
From the injured Grim Reaper, I receive these unwelcome words of praise.
Or rather, am I the one who’s skilled…
“You’re the one who’s too incompetent. No matter how powerful you are, it’s useless if you can’t hit, and no matter how tough you are, you can’t just keep taking hits forever.”
“I was trying to figure that out through correspondence courses…”
“I told you I’m tired of that joke already! You’re so persistent!”
The Grim Reaper narrowly dodges my slashes… no, he’s unable to fully dodge and counterattacks while sustaining shallow wounds.
“My master told me to keep piling on the jokes. If you tell a bad joke a thousand times, it’ll eventually get a laugh!”
I dodge his amateurish slashes and counterattack, but again, it’s a shallow wound. He avoids fatal damage solely through his abnormal reaction speed.
“My master told me to read the room! Are you trying to turn this place into an ice age?!”
“That’s nice. I’ve always wanted to see a live mammoth.”
“Then I’ll send you to hell where the mammoths went extinct! Die!”
“Whoa there! I said I wanted to see a *live* mammoth. I’m not good with ghosts.”
The Grim Reaper blocks my approaching sword dance with his Bu-rai. Their clashing blades spark.
“A Grim Reaper in a skull mask is afraid of ghosts? Don’t make me laugh! Are you joking?!”
“I’m afraid of what I’m afraid of. I can kill humans, but I can’t kill ghosts.”
“Don’t come back to haunt me even if I kill you. But seriously, you’re tough! What did you eat to get so tough?”
“Eat cereal with plenty of milk every morning. Don’t forget your green juice.”
“Sorry, but I’m a rice guy for breakfast!”
While exchanging these foolish remarks, the Grim Reaper and I are fighting for our lives.
It’s utterly ridiculous, but our lives are on the line.
Seeing that the fight was going nowhere, the Grim Reaper unleashed what was likely his trump card: pyrokinesis.
The destructive power is considerable. The intelligence department’s estimate of 3 million nenshin strength was accurate.
However, the accuracy is terrible. Compared to Rasen-‘s craft, known as “Inferno,” it’s like child’s play!
But even with poor accuracy, it’s impossible to completely defend against 3 million nenshin strength pyrokinesis, and I sustained minor burns.
As long as I don’t sustain deep wounds, I’m used to it. If I focus in a one-on-one fight, I won’t take fatal damage!
“Hey, Mr. Grim Reaper. How about you surrender? It would be a waste to kill you, given your pathetic sense of humor.”
“Did you like the correspondence course joke?”
“Yeah, why don’t you use your signature jokes to create a vortex of laughter instead of flames? I bet the prisoners in the camp are starving for some entertainment.”
“No thanks. Kenrou, you surrender. Right now, I can offer you three meals a day, naps, and dessert wine delivered by beautiful female officers after your meals.”
That’s quite a generous offer, thank you. But beautiful female officers alone aren’t enough!
“Can I also choose between large breasts, small breasts, or a rotation?”
“Let me answer that first. You’d prefer a rotation of large, medium, and small breasts, wouldn’t you?”
“You figured it out so well!”
You’re too perceptive. Are you a psychic?
“…Because that’s what I would do.”
…Why are we enemies? I’m actually starting to like this guy.
I’ve sustained some minor burns, but they’re not serious. However, the Grim Reaper has numerous shallow wounds and his bleeding has become uncontrollable. The outcome of the battle is clear.
If not for his formidable defensive wall of 3 million nenshin strength, the Grim Reaper would have died long ago.
“…Captain… Are you alright?”
Shion’s consciousness returned!
“I’m fine. Are you alright, Shion?”
“Yes, I still can’t stand, but it’s not life-threatening. I’m quite resilient.”
She seems to be truly alright. If Shion is safe, there’s no longer any reason to kill him… No, I’d rather not kill him if possible.
“Grim Reaper, let’s talk seriously without jokes. Please surrender. The outcome of the battle is clear, isn’t it?”
He’s not weak. His speed and technique to avoid direct hits, coupled with the nenshin strength to defend against his vicious pyrokinesis attacks, make him a terrible match for me.
Rick or Vodka, who are poor at dodging, would have been obliterated by his one-hit-kill attacks.
No, his extraordinary physical strength and nenshin power might have put even Abby-nee-san in danger.
“…This is about the right time. Kenrou, surrender. This is my final warning.”
He’s supposed to be smart, but is he not seeing the situation?
Or is reinforcements nearby! …No, that’s not it. If reinforcements were coming, I could pretend to surrender.
He knows he can’t beat me, yet… what is he thinking?
“Grim Reaper, consider the situation. Your fighting style is the worst possible match for me, it’s the endgame, I’ve put you in a stalemate, and I’m one move away from checkmate. Even if they call you the Grim Reaper, you don’t want to die, do you?”
“It’s not a *particularly* precious life, but I have no intention of dying here. There’s something I want to see… Kenrou, you really have no intention of surrendering?”
I know he’s persistent from his relentless jokes, but his untimely surrender advisories are irritating!
“Why would I? I don’t care about the alliance, but I have comrades on this side who can’t be abandoned!”
“…I see. That’s understandable. …A pity.”
The Grim Reaper murmured, sounding genuinely disappointed.
As long as humans are humans, they cannot achieve true objectivity. Humans are humans precisely because they stand in subjective positions.
If there were a being with complete objectivity, it would be called a god, not a human.
However, humans can approach an objective stance through their state of mind.
Namihei, if you are my son, cultivate an eye that sees yourself as if you were another person.
That will surely help you as an invisible asset.
I recall my father’s lecture from middle school… Why now of all times!
I understand. Humans are creatures who believe what they *want* to believe, not what is true.
Don’t cling to wishes. Face reality, and if it’s not to your liking, change it.
It seems I haven’t upheld my father’s words.
I’m not sure if that preachy father himself was able to view things objectively…
The space around the Grim Reaper appears to distort. It’s not an illusion.
It’s the same phenomenon as the scenery distorting around a strong bonfire.
An overwhelming, no, it’s too mild to call it overwhelming, torrent of nenshin power is manifesting around the Grim Reaper.
A dry leaf that had fallen at my feet ignites and burns to ashes.
Small pebbles around the Grim Reaper float into the air and shatter.
There stood a superhuman figure, clad in nenshin that shook the very earth.
…It means nothing. The Grim Reaper just “wasn’t serious”…
His eyes, which were previously like those of a dead fish, now hold a divine light… What kind of eyes are these? Like those of a man-eating tiger… a fierce beast.
What is that cross-like pattern in his pupils? This guy! Is he an Evil Eye ability user?
What kind of ability does he possess!? Damn it, I thought I had him on the ropes, but now I’m at my own goal line!
…Steel yourself. It’s probably, no, definitely, the strongest enemy I’ve ever faced.
(Lilith, Natsume! Don’t come here!)
(Huh? What do you mean, Lieutenant!) (Kanata! I can already see it!)
I didn’t have time to reply. I was too busy dodging the Grim Reaper’s Psyche-Gravity Burst.
No way! Even Ikkaku-san needs charging and a preparatory motion to unleash a Psyche-Gravity Burst!
To unleash it repeatedly without any preamble or charging!
Compared to Ikkaku-san, the accuracy is all over the place, like firing a scattershot, or rather, a cannon, but it’s still just as dangerous if it hits.
If I keep my distance, it’s useless. I have to close the distance!
I weave through the Psyche-Gravity Bursts and approach the Grim Reaper, unleashing a slash, but it’s blocked by an even thicker Psyche-Barrier… no, a Psyche-Gravity Wall.
Ikkaku-san mentioned that Psyche-Gravity Bursts are completed by pouring nenshin power into a Psyche-Sphere until it’s saturated.
I don’t think the Grim Reaper is a master of ki cultivation… …So, does that mean he can do it naturally?
Just how high is his nenshin strength? It’s not just 3 million n!
And then, a slash imbued with lightning and fire!
Even though this complete amateur is just swinging his sword carelessly! The nenshin power emanating from his divine sword is so immense… I can’t dodge it all!
A sharp blunt weapon that randomly changes shape, clad in lightning and fire… It can only be described as chaotic.
Suddenly at a disadvantage, I tried using Wolf Eye at point-blank range to turn the tide, but it didn’t work.
I can lock on, but it’s instantly disengaged by his tremendous nenshin power.
Even for feints, it’s useless. …Damn it, what should I do!
“…Wolf’s Eye, huh. A powerful weapon, but it won’t work on me. At least not at this moment.”
…Where did that lightness from earlier go? Did you increase the weight of your speech to match your heavy-hitter persona?
“There’s just one thing I’d like to ask… You’re not going to say you have 10 million nenshin strength… are you?”
“You’re very perceptive. I believe that’s the number.”
…I knew it. You’re obviously like Buffalo Man or Big Zam.
It seems only the final ultimate technique of Mugen Ittouryu will work on him.
There are two problems. First, I don’t know if I can activate that prerequisite gaze. In practice, I could only do it once out of ten times.
The second, and more significant, problem is this. It takes a considerable amount of time to imbue the blade with power, and at my current level, I need to concentrate all my nerves on the blade while stationary.
…It’s no good. This guy isn’t an idiot. Even if I could manifest the true form of Wolf’s Eye, I’d be defeated instantly if I prepared my ultimate technique while defenseless.
Damn it! Mugen Yaiba: Ominous End is a double-edged sword, but it’s a one-hit kill! If I could complete it, it would be a technique worth betting my everything on!
Stop wishing for what you don’t have! …Regret can come later.
However cruel or inconvenient, let’s first acknowledge reality. We can’t begin without doing so.
…The reality is that I can’t defeat the Grim Reaper with my current strength. So, how do I get out of this?
