The method Chérie came up with. That was, an exchange of the team members.

 

　The details were simple. Irie-san, the leader of team sixteen, who are currently ranked first, will change places with Sherry-chan, the leader of team four, which are second place.

 

　When I talked about the team leaders being exchanged, team sixteen answered with “If’ that’s Second-san’s order”, and the team four said “By all means”.

 

 

　Well then.

　What will happen to the two teams who had exchanged team leaders……?

 

“Ohh, that was fast, team four. 13th round. You’re still at the first place.”

“We did it. Second-san, can we keep the stamp card after we’re finished? “

“Suit yourselves.”

 

　It was just as Chérie predicted.

 

　At first, team sixteen of Sherry-chan was in first place, but their pace dropped at about the 10th lap, and then at the 11th lap, team four of Irie-san finally overtook them.

 

　The two didn’t change; the self-paced, normal girl, Irie-san, and the girl who couldn’t help but to run ahead on her own, Sherry-chan. It was obvious who was the better leader.

 

　There’s a limit to one’s own destructive power. And an individual’s MP is also limited. Fatigue accumulates in both the body and the mind. And if an optimal solution, taking into account a number of factors in a comprehensive way can’t be found, the efficiency will without doubt decline.

　No matter how fast a racing car is, it can’t keep going while having to tow several cars that have run out of gas. Naturally, it will even fall behind passenger busses.

 

　Sherry-chan might’ve already noticed what will happen if she keeps pushing ahead on her own. Even then, I wonder if she can’t no longer pull back, or……?

 

 

“Ohh, you came, team sixteen. 13th round. You’re in second place right now.”

“I know that! “

 

　Having her breath rough, Sherry-chan gave me the stamp card in a desperate manner. All the other members of team sixteen continued walking unsteadily, looking completely exhausted. They might be in a worse shape than team four this morning.

 

　Sherry-chan is certainly a top-notch racing car, a monster machine at that. Even after newly joining a team for the first time, if she can pull them this far, I can’t question her ability.

　But if she could just look back at the other members, and adjust her pace, she’ll surely be in first place now. However, she only sees what’s in front, she only pushes forward. She can’t adjust herself to the bottom members because she’s just aiming for the top. Is her pride getting in her way? Or does this have some other strange meaning? I can only hope this failure will bring some sort of change in her way of doing things……

 

 

 

 

 

　Then.

　Finally, the time limit came.

 

　Team four finished in first place. They were the only team that completed seventeen laps.

 

　And, about the team sixteen.

 

 

“……They are taking too long, right?”

 

　Besides me, Irie-san raised her concerns. The nine other of team four were also waiting with me for the arrival of team sixteen.

 

　Team sixteen had dropped further from the second place.

 

　Ignoring my words that they didn’t have more time, they were now in the middle of the 16th lap, and they were the last team.

 

　Their rank was 5th. They had a strong determination. Sherry-chan is obviously good, but the other nine from team sixteen aren’t bad either. I’d like to give them some sort of prize.

 

“Second-dono, we’re back. Team sixteen is right behind us.”

“We’re baaackー”

 

　And so, Silvia and Eko came a bit ahead of team sixteen. Behind them, I could also see Chérie and Terra. It seems they were going around together.

 

　Chérie complained with an “Aren’t these too a bit too tough? “, while looking completely tired. Well, aside from the number of laps they did around the dungeon being different, the amount of accumulated experiences is also different. They are the rear guard and vanguard I’m proud of after all.

 

 

“Ahh.”

 

　Irie-san raised her voice unexpectedly. Immediately after, I found the figure of Sherry-chan by the entrance of the room.

 

　Sherry-chan’s face was, yeah…… one of ‘anger’. I have a bad feeling about this.

 

 

“16th lap, good work. Your final standing is 5th.”

 

　When I said so before pressing the stamp, Sherry-chan clenched her fists. And the stamp card being help in her hands tightly crumpled.

 

 

“Ah……”

 

　Someone from team sixteen said a single word. She was one of the girls who was happy to hear they could keep the stamp card as a memento after they finished.

 

 

“――! “

 

　Sherry-chan then looked back at the team members. It’s all your fault――that was the expression she had on her face.

 

 

“I can still go for one more round!　Why are you so exhausted for only this much!?　It’s all your fault that I lost! “

 

 

　All her frustrations and dissatisfactions, having accumulated this much, finally exploded. It’s all your fault, she said. “It’s all because you couldn’t keep up with me”, she continued to rant.

 

　Certainly, Sherry-chan is more capable than them. It might be true that they were a drag for her. That’s why her team members didn’t say anything in return.

 

 

　However……She’s wrong. You’re wrong, Sherry-chan.

 

 

　I can’t let you do this, this time. Then, I tried to step in.

 

　However, Irie-san started walking before me, approaching Sherry-chan.

 

 

　She’s angry……I realized it in an instant. Turning to face Sherry-chan, she swung her right hand, and then――

 

 

 

　Everyone in this place thought Irie-san had slapped Sherry-chan.

 

 

 

　But that didn’t happen. This was something I couldn’t allow.

 

 

“……”

 

　Irie-san then met my eyes as I held her right hand up. At that moment, she had a confused expression……which immediately turned into one of regret.

 

　I was trying to slap a friend in a moment of emotional anger――That sort of regret.

 

 

　Smiling lightly, I released Irie-san’s hand and then faced Sherry-chan.

 

 

 

“W-What is――”

 

 

 

　She opened her mouth to talk, but before she could finish.

 

 

 

　Making a fist with my hand, I hit her right in the face.

 

 

 

 

　Being blown back a few meters, Sherry-chan rolled on the ground and blood spilled from her nose after falling on her back and fainting.

 

 

“! ? ! ? ! ? “

 

　Everyone was both surprised and confused.

 

 

 

　……I tried my best at carefully holding back before actually striking her, I never thought she would fly this much distance……This is bad. It’s great I didn’t use a skill. I only wanted to state the fact that I was the one who hit her. But this completely turned into an injury situation.

 

 

　No, no, there’s nothing I can do to change what I’ve already done.

 

“Eko, heal her.”

“Roーgeーr! “

 

　Pretending to be as calm as possible, I gave Eko some instructions and then left the place.

 

 

　Just as I was leaving, Chérie said “You’re surprisingly good at taking care of people. Well, leave the rest to me”, I wonder what’s she talking about? Since I don’t really understand the meaning of those words, I’ll ask about it later.

 

 

　And then, night came――

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Thank you for reading.

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Cheat sheet

Stats details

＜Status Details＞

• HP　Hit Points
• MP　Magic Points
• SP　Stamina Points
• STR　Short range attack skill power, strength, physical power.
• DEX　Long range attack skill power, dexterity, hit rate.
• AGI　Quickness, avoidance rate.
• INT　Attack Magic skill power.
• LUK　Good luck, critical rate.
• VIT　Simple defense.
• MGR　Magic defense.

Types of combat skills

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

1. Pawn/Soldier (Fuhyou)
2. Lance(Kyousha)
3. Knight (Keima)
4. Silver General (Ginshou)
5. Gold General (Kinshou)
6. Bishop (Kakugyou)
7. Rook (Hisha)
8. Promoted Bishop/Dragon Horse(Ryuuma)
9. Promoted Rook/Dragon King (Ryuuou).

List of Swordsmanship skills

Swordsmanship

1. 《Soldier Swordsmanship》　                  Normal attack.
2. 《Lance Swordsmanship》　                    Piercing attack.
3. 《Knight Swordsmanship》　                   Precision attack.
4. 《Silver Swordsmanship》　                     Strong single-target attack.
5. 《Gold Swordsmanship》                           Small-range attack to all directions.
6. 《Bishop Swordsmanship》                       ???
7. 《Rook Swordsmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Swordsmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Swordsmanship》　       ???

List of Shieldmanship skills

Shieldmanship

1. 《Soldier Shieldmanship》　                  Normal defense.
2. 《Lance Shieldmanship》　                    Piercing deflection.
3. 《Knight Shieldmanship》　                   Defense + knockback.
4. 《Silver Shieldmanship》　                     ???
5. 《Gold Shieldmanship》                           Ranged guided defense + knockback.
6. 《Bishop Shieldmanship》                       Reinforced defense (Temporarily boosts VIT and MGR)
7. 《Rook Shieldmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Shieldmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Shieldmanship》　       ???

List of Archery skills

Archery

1. 《Soldier Archery》　                  Normal range attack.
2. 《Lance Archery》　                    Piercing range attack.
3. 《Knight Archery》　                   Precise sniping range attack.
4. 《Silver Archery》　                     Strong single-target range attack.
5. 《Gold Archery》                           Weaker range attack with added knockback.
6. 《Bishop Archery》                       Strong piercing range attack.
7. 《Rook Archery》　                      Very strong single-target range attack with scaling % damage.
8. 《Dragon Horse Archery》　    Powerful piercing range attack.
9. 《Dragon King Archery》　       Powerful on-impact range attack.

Types of Magic skills

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

1. First Form　      　      Regular attack
2. Second Form　      　 Extended range attack
3. Third Form　      　    Strong single target attack
4. Fourth Form　      　  Strong extended range attack
5. Fifth Form　      　      Extremely powerful extended range attack

• Their cast time becomes longer in this order First→Third→Second→Fourth→Fifth.

Ranking of the skills

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.

1. 16th class
2. 15th class
3. 14th class
4. 13th class
5. 12h class
6. 11th class
7. 10th class
8. 9th class
9. 8th class
10. 7th class
11. 6th class
12. 5th class
13. 4th class
14. 3rd class
15. 2nd class
16. 1st class
17. Grade 1
18. Grade 2
19. Grade 3
20. Grade 4
21. Grade 5
22. Grade 6
23. Grade 7
24. Grade 8
25. Grade 9
26. Title

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 ToC    

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