Chapter 73: Not Edited
An unknown amount of time has passed, and it seems that no matter how long we spent our time here, the moon still shines brightly in the sky.
"So... you're saying this is the final area?"
"Supposedly."
"You don't seem quite sure about it. mind sharing why Maou-sama?"
"Because I feel a powerful presence just over the clocktower."
I said my mind as I led the group into the astral clocktower. we should be able to slay the orphan of kos and then finally the moon's presence. I shoved umbilical cords into Sojiro so it should be fine... but the problem is Only Sojiro will be fighting the moon presence while the rest of us can only pray for his... eventual return.
===
POV CHANGE
Our dance has been ongoing for quite a while. with no end in sight. It's strange as I didn't even feel any fatigue. but one thing that I feel is my skill is improving. who would have thought that I'm ambidextrous. A slash came flying towards my face as I was idly thinking.
"Never lose focus."
Maria herself is also doing fine. No, she's not even breaking a sweat from where I'm standing. It feels like she's recharging herself while we fight. strange. Speaking of which, what's even stranger is my wounds. I noticed that cuts and bruises here will immediately heal after a small buffer.
"Stay in form!"
I dodged another bisection. She's relentless, and once I thought I had figured her tempo out, she sped up or changed it up entirely. I'm sorry guys, but I think I'll be stuck here.... for eternity.
===
Back in Tokyo
The first day of the Basketball game went on without a hitch, now we're scouting out our opponent's strategy. it seems that in the second round we'll be facing off against someone from the 'generation of miracles'. Our next opponent is Kaijo High. Their Ace player Ryota Kise. I heard from a certain eye-patched uncle that he's one of their fashion models.
so the damage to his face is a no no.
But if the first game is anything to go by. I wouldn't get my hopes up. but then again, we've just barely finished the first day and we're off to dinner. Nobody had any mood to talk... except Akira.
"A TOAST FOR THE FIRST STEP OF ACHIEVING SOMETHING GREAT!"
but nobody is in the mood to toast this time around.
"WHY LONG FACES?"
"... Akira-san... we're just bummed... knowing that even in nationals the players here literally step on the weak."
"AH! THAT SMALL MATTER!? THEN I SHALL BESEECH THEE A QUESTION, WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT?"
"Huh? Isn't it to win? "
"NAY, YOUNG DAISUKE! IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE PLAYING TO THEIR STRENGTH!"
"Huh!?"
"YOU'RE PURE OF HEART! BUT NOT EVERYONE IS! THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE WHO LIKES TO TRAMPLE UPON DEFEATED FOES IN A FAIR GAME, OR FIND AN UNDERHANDED TACTICS TO STRIVE."
"... well that's true..."
"SO TELL ME, DAISUKE, WOULD YOU STOOP SO LOW TO THEIR LEVEL TO INJURE YOUR OPPONENTS IN ORDER TO WIN?"
"OF COURSE NOT!"
"GOOD, BUT LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, IF YOU'RE NOT THEIR TARGET BUT A FRIEND OF YOURS WHAT WILL YOU DO?"
"OF COURSE I'LL GIVE THEM GOOD BEATING!"
"GOOD! LAST QUESTION, WHAT IF YOUR NEXT OPPONENT DOESN'T CHEAT AND WIN FROM YOU FAIRLY"
"THEN I SHALL ACCEPT THE DEFEAT, LEARN FROM IT, AND BE BETTER."
"GOOD ANSWER! SIMPLE IS IT NOT! WE JUST HAVE TO PLAY THE GAME, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO THROW AWAY OUR VALUES AS HUMANS! NOW THEN DAISUKE I SHALL ASK AGAIN WHEN YOU EMBARK ON THIS PATH WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?"
"I --"
"GOOD, THINK ABOUT IT YOUNG DAISUKE! WE ARE ALL HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR DREAMS, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION! SO THEN COME A TOAST FOR THE NEXT GAME!"
"KANPAI!"
and so the heavy atmosphere is washed away by Akira-senpai's... performance.... yeah let's call it that. as the dinner continues.
But speaking of which The restaurant itself is quite good I might add. Maybe being around Akira has skewered my perception of money, but to think that booking the whole restaurant in Tokyo is easier and cheaper than booking a restaurant chain from TJC...
Yosuke and Kanji are having an eating competition with teddy. while the girls ordered a full course meal instead. Me? I'm not a heavy eater so I ended up ordering a main course from the menu... Speaking of girls... they're having the time of their lives... taking pictures of their food, selfies...
"Eh? this part is also edible!?"
"Whoa the taste is so sweet!"
and other comments fly around the restaurant. I'm 100% sure that if we didn't book the whole restaurant, We would immediately be kicked out.
===
The next day is surprisingly a rest day for us... as different teams are playing and there's not enough arenas for us to be in. and so I'm dragged along by the girls for a shopping trip... and with them being 100,000 JPY richer. I understand why.
The first shop I went into is... a department store, and from the price tag I can tell that this is a high end department store. The clothing brand itself seems to be focused on everyday wear for women.
"This looks so cute! don't you think so Chie?"
"Eh Naoto? I didn't know you're into this kind of stuff!"
"Eh!? surprising isn't it? I do think blue is your color though! not this red..."
"But nobody would know... right?"
This piqued my interest... Are they perhaps...
"But the size of this! No! this is a lie right!?"
"Eh, where are you touching Chie..!? STOP IT!"
"No, no, Chie is right, Yukiko, Chie, help me get Naoto-chan inside one of the changing rooms, we need clarifications!"
and there I see a hopeless Naoto being dragged away by a mob of curious girls. Ganbatte- nee.
I walked outside to have some fresh air. but I found someone waiting for us instead.
"Joshua."
I greeted the man warmly.
"Yu, there's been a situation... you see Nanako and Haruka are missing..."
"!?"
"And no this is not a joke... and I cannot seem to track them down... so it must be related to your journey..."
I felt the card in the depth of my soul shine for a moment. This only happens when I feel a deeper connection with someone...
So this is the omniomous thing that the long nosed man talked about huh... But it sort of doesn't make sense, why would Nanako and Haruka be targeted? They wouldn't know about us now would they?
"I prepared a helicopter to get you back to Inaba."
... Isn't that a bit overkill?
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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